I’ve experienced deep feelings of frustration and confusion when dealing with a loved one who has a mental illness. It has felt like being in a dinghy and being tossed to and fro on a storm ocean. I know that others who are in the same position feel the same way.
It seems like everything you do doesn’t work, makes no impact or very little impact, falls on deaf ears and you can’t get anywhere.
I’ve been in states of overwhelm, shock and agitation. It’s difficult to handle someone who can’t rationalise and doesn’t make sense. But this is not the state to be in when you deal with a loved one who has a mental illness. You need to calm yourself down.
I have found that to cope I have to look at my own emotions and feelings. I have to use my wise mind to balance analytical thoughts and emotions to make mutually beneficial or win-win solutions and actions.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that it’s difficult to deal with a loved one who has a mental illness. I have had to learn many coping skills and strategies to deal with unruly behaviour, hysterical outbursts and immobilization. And I’ve completed courses on care giving to help other caregivers.
I’m passing on these coping skills to caregivers of loved ones with mental illness. It’s all about a learning process and the willingness or desire to change so that you obtain different responses otherwise you won’t be able to cope and will wear yourself out. In fact, some caregivers become frustrated, suffer from poor mental and physical health themselves and even have nervous breakdowns.
Often someone is thrust into caring for a parent, for example, with dementia and just carries on and on without knowing even that they are a caregiver. Perhaps they do not know that there is help available and that coaching could make them more effective. The same applies to other mental illnesses that I am very familiar with such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive behaviour and bipolar.
I provide coaching sessions that care for caregivers. If they are willing to learn and change and have the desire to live better lives so that they can cope with a loved one with a mental illness, then they find that they are better equipped and can start to rebuild their lives.
I find it so satisfying to help others. Just the other day someone reached out to me who I have helped and thanked me for my caring and helpful approach. I was even more heartened when this person said that they are following my lead and are now helping others to cope with all sorts of areas in their lives.
I’ll be very happy if you take the first step towards growing as a person who can be better equipped to cope with a loved one who has a mental illness. I can guarantee you that after our first session you’ll be feeling a lot better and already have learnt something to better deal with your life. Click on this link to book first free session with caring for caregivers.
