Our definition of family – People who love and support each other

“Severe persistent mental illnesses (SPMIs) are those that are prolonged and recurrent, impair activities of daily living, and require long-term treatment (15). Common diagnoses include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression (15) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/)

Chronic illness – Chronic mental illnesses are defined as conditions that consistently affect a person’s cognition and/or emotions for at least three months or more. Some of the more common chronic illnesses are anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, and psychotic disorders. (https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/mental-health/chronic-mental-illness/# 🙂

Living with a family member who has a serious and persistent mental illness can be both rewarding and challenging. Consider the following tips:

1. Understand the Illness:
   • Your loved one has a mental illness that sticks around for a long time. The symptoms might change in how strong or long they last, but they keep coming back. Be ready for these changes in symptoms.
2. Managing the Illness:
   • Dealing with a long-lasting mental illness means that you will need to plan for fluctuations in symptoms. Learn about the diagnosis. Make a list of symptoms, plans to prevent things from getting worse, and what to do in a crisis.
3. Crisis Planning:

Handling the illness well involves having a plan for tough times. This plan should include things like treatment preferences, which medications to use or avoid, preferences for hospitals, and choices for doctors or mental health professionals. Also, have a list of people to call in a crisis. If your loved one gets help from a mental health agency, know who they are and consider attending an appointment with them. At the appointment make sure you sign a Release of Information Form which will allow you receive information in case of an emergency. If there’s a crisis team in your area make sure you have their phone number and that you have the after-hours phone number to the clinic where you or your loved are receiving services.

1. Getting Treatment and Medications:
   • Connect with community resources. Before a crisis know who to call and where to go for information. Mental Health agencies and community resources like NAMI can be critical in managing the illness. Where would you get your medications in a crisis?
2. Dealing with the Police:
   • The police shouldn’t be the first people you call to manage a mental health crisis but too often they are. The goal is to manage the illness, connect with community resources and to have a plan to avoid police involvement. If you do have to call the police here are some suggestions:
     • If possible, let your loved one know that you are calling the police and that the police are coming to help them.
     • Know why you’re calling the police and what you expect them to do.
     • When calling 911, say it’s a medical emergency and answer the questions honestly.

• Greet the police calmly when they arrive and explain why you called.

1. • • If possible introduce your loved one to the police and remind them that the police are there to help.
     • Understand that when you call the police you are saying that the situation is unmanageable and that you need help.
     • Police officers, even those who are specially trained in mental health will focus on safety.
     • The police may talk to your loved one and leave, or they may take your loved one to the hospital. But even if they are taken to the hospital, it’s not guaranteed they will be admitted.
     • If the police take your loved one to the hospital, they might use handcuffs, not because your loved one is under arrest but for safety reasons.
     • The mental health team at the hospital will decide if your loved one should be admitted not the police.
     • In closing: Have a plan to manage the crisis before the police are needed. Try to get support from local community resources to avoid involving the police. If you have a crisis team in your area, call them first but never do anything to put yourself in danger. If you feel that the situation is an emergency then it is.

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