Families including someone with mental illness can experience deep despair. They need support

10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

In the aftermath of the tragic Bondi knife attack, Joel Cauchi’s parents have spoken about their son’s long history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17. They said they were “devastated and horrified” by their son’s actions. “To you he’s a monster,” said his father. “But to me he was a very sick boy.”

Globally, one out of every eight people report a mental illness. In Australia, one in five people experience a mental illness in their lifetime.

Mental illness and distress affects not only the person living with the condition, but family members and communities. As the prevalence of mental health problems grows, the flow-on effect to family members, including caregivers, and the impact on families as a unit, is also rising.

While every family is different, the words of the Cauchis draw attention to how families can experience distress, stress, fear, powerlessness, and still love, despite the challenges and trauma. How can they help a loved one? And who can they turn to for support?

The role of caregivers

Informal caregivers help others within the context of an existing relationship, such as a family member. The care they provide goes beyond the usual expectations or demands of such relationships.

Around 2.7 million Australians provide informal care. For almost a third of these the person’s primary medical diagnosis is psychological or psychiatric.

It has long been acknowledged that those supporting a family member with ongoing mental illness need support themselves.

In the 1980s, interest grew in caregiving dynamics within families of people grappling with mental health issues. Subsequent research recognised chronic health conditions not only affect the quality of life and wellbeing of the people experiencing them, but also impose burdens that reverberate within relationships, caregiving roles, and family dynamics over time.

Past studies have shown families of those diagnosed with chronic mental illness are increasingly forced to manage their own depression, experience elevated levels of emotional stress, negative states of mind and decreased overall mental health.

Conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia can severely impact daily functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life. Living with mental illness is often accompanied by a myriad of challenges. From stigma and discrimination to difficulty accessing adequate health care and support services. Patients and their families navigate a complex and often isolating journey.

The family is a system

The concept of family health acknowledges the physical and psychological wellbeing of a person is significantly affected by the family.

Amid these challenges, family support emerges as a beacon of hope. Research consistently demonstrates strong familial relationships and support systems play a pivotal role in mitigating the adverse effects of mental illness. Families provide emotional support, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging that are vital for people struggling with mental illness.

My recent research highlights the profound impact of mental illness on family dynamics, emphasising the resilience and endurance shown by participants. Families struggling with mental illness often experience heightened emotional fluctuations, with extreme highs and lows. The enduring nature of family caregiving entails both stress and adaptation over an extended period. Stress associated with caregiving and the demands on personal resources and coping mechanisms builds and builds.

Yet families I’ve interviewed find ways to live “a good life”. They prepare for the peaks and troughs, and show endurance and persistence. They make space for mental illness in their daily lives, describing how it spurs adaptation, acceptance and inner strength within the family unit.

When treating a person with mental illness, health practitioners need to consider the entire family’s needs and engage with family members. By fostering open and early dialogue and providing comprehensive support, health-care professionals can empower families to navigate the complexities of mental illness while fostering resilience and hope for the future. Family members express stories of an inner struggle, isolation and exhaustion.

two people embrace in a hallway in supportive gesture
Family bonds can be a cornerstone of wellbeing. Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

Shifting the focus

There is a pressing need for a shift in research priorities, from illness-centered perspectives to a strengths-based focus when considering families “managing” mental illness.

There is transformative potential in harnessing strengths to respond to challenges posed by mental illnesses, while also supporting family members.

For people facing mental health challenges, having loved ones who listen without judgement and offer empathy can alleviate feelings of despair. Beyond emotional support, families often serve as crucial caregivers, assisting with daily tasks, medication management and navigating the health-care system.

As the Cauchi family so painfully articulated, providing support for a family member with mental illness is intensely challenging. Research shows caregiver burnout, financial strain and strained relationships are common.

Health-care professionals should prioritise support for family members at an early stage. In Australia, there are various support options available for families living with mental illness. Carer Gateway provides information, support and access to services. Headspace offers mental health services and supports to young people and their families.

Beyond these national services, GPs, nurses, nurse practitioners and local community health centres are key to early conversations. Mental health clinics and hospitals often target family involvement in treatment plans.

While Australia has made strides in recognising the importance of family support, challenges persist. Access to services can vary based on geographic location and demand, leaving some families under-served or facing long wait times. And the level of funding and resources allocated to family-oriented mental health support often does not align with the demand or complexity of need.

In the realm of mental illness, family support serves as a lifeline for people navigating the complexities of their conditions.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Amanda Cole, Lead, Mental Health, Edith Cowan University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Don’t Forget…

Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

Recommended

  • Constipation increases your risk of a heart attack, new study finds – and not just on the toilet
  • Mental illness, psychiatric disorder or psychological problem. What should we call mental distress?
    Examining mental health language: terms like “mental illness” vs. “psychological distress” and their impact—or lack thereof—on stigma.

Learn to Age Gracefully

Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails:

  • Play Bold – by Magnus Penker

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    This book is very different to what you might expect, from the title.

    We often see: “play bold, believe in yourself, the universe rewards action” etc… Instead, this one is more: “play bold, pay attention to the data, use these metrics, learn from what these businesses did and what their results were”, etc.

    We often see: “here’s an anecdote about a historical figure and/or celebrity who made a tremendous bluff and it worked out well so you should too” etc… Instead, this one is more: “see how what we think of as safety is actually anything but! And how by embracing change quickly (or ideally: proactively), we can stay ahead of disaster that may otherwise hit us”.

    Penker’s background is also relevant here. He has decades of experience, having “launched 10 start-ups and acquired, turned around, and sold over 30 SMEs all over Europe”. Importantly, he’s also “still in the game”… So, unlike many authors whose last experience in the industry was in the 1970s and who wonder why people aren’t reaping the same rewards today!

    Penker is the therefore opposite of many who advocate to “play bold” but simply mean “fail fast, fail often”… While quietly relying on their family’s capital and privilege to leave a trail of financial destruction behind them, and simultaneously gloating about their imagined business expertise.

    In short: boldness does not equate to foolhardiness, and foolhardiness does not equate to boldness.

    As for telling the difference? Well, for that we recommend reading the book—It’s a highly instructive one.

    Take The First Bold Step Of Checking Out This Book On Amazon!

    Share This Post

  • Serotonin vs Dopamine (Know The Differences)

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Of the various neurotransmitters that people confuse with each other, serotonin and dopamine are the two highest on the list (with oxytocin coming third as people often attribute its effects to serotonin). But, for all they are both “happiness molecules”, serotonin and dopamine are quite different, and are even opposites in some ways:

    More than just happiness

    Let’s break it down:

    Similarities:

    • Both are neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and monoamines.
    • Both impact cognition, mood, energy, behavior, memory, and learning.
    • Both influence social behavior, though in different ways.

    Differences (settle in; there are many):

    • Chemical structure:
      • Dopamine: catecholamine (derived from phenylalanine and tyrosine)
      • Serotonin: indoleamine (derived from tryptophan)
    • Derivatives:
      • Dopamine → noradrenaline and adrenaline (stress and alertness)
      • Serotonin → melatonin (sleep and circadian rhythm)
    • Effects on mental state:
      • Dopamine: drives action, motivation, and impulsivity.
      • Serotonin: promotes calmness, behavioral inhibition, and cooperation.
    • Role in memory and learning:
      • Dopamine: key in attention and working memory
      • Serotonin: crucial for hippocampus activation and long-term memory

    Symptoms of imbalance:

    • Low dopamine:
      • Loss of motivation, focus, emotion, and activity
      • Linked to Parkinson’s disease and ADHD
    • Low serotonin:
      • Sadness, irritability, poor sleep, and digestive issues
      • Linked to PTSD, anxiety, and OCD
    • High dopamine:
      • Excessive drive, impulsivity, addictions, psychosis
    • High serotonin:
      • Nervousness, nausea, and in extreme cases, serotonin syndrome (which can be fatal)

    Brain networks:

    • Dopamine: four pathways controlling movement, attention, executive function, and hormones.
    • Serotonin: widely distributed across the cortex, partially overlapping with dopamine systems.

    Speed of production:

    • Dopamine: can spike and deplete quickly; fatigues faster with overuse.
    • Serotonin: more stable, releasing steadily over longer periods.

    Illustrative examples:

    • Coffee boosts dopamine but loses its effect with repeated use.
    • Sunlight helps maintain serotonin levels over time.

    If you remember nothing else, remember this:

    • Dopamine: action, motivation, and alertness.
    • Serotonin: contentment, happiness, and calmness.

    For more on all of the above, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Neurotransmitter Cheatsheet

    Take care!

    Share This Post

  • Chaat Masala Spiced Potato Salad With Beans

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    This is an especially gut-healthy dish; the cooked-and-cooled potatoes are not rich with resistant starches (that’s good), the beans bring protein (as well as more fiber and micronutrients), and many of the spices bring their own benefits. A flavorful addition to your table!

    You will need

    • 1 lb new potatoes, boiled or steamed, with skin on, quartered, cooled ← this is a bit of a “mini recipe”, but we expect you can handle it
    • 5 oz blanched broad beans
    • 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
    • ¼ bulb garlic, crushed
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tsp amchoor
    • 2 tsp ground cumin
    • 2 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp ground asafoetida
    • 1 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
    • 1 tsp red chili powder
    • 1 tsp ground turmeric
    • ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
    • Juice of ½ lemon

    And then…

    • To garnish: finely chopped cilantro, or if you have the “cilantro tastes like soap” gene, then substitute with parsley
    • To serve: a nice chutney; you can use our Spiced Fruit & Nut Chutney recipe

    Method

    (we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

    1) Mix all the ingredients from the main section, ensuring an even distribution on the spices.

    2) Add the garnish, and serve with the chutney. That’s it. There was more work in the prep (and potentially, finding all the ingredients) today.

    Enjoy!

    Want to learn more?

    For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

    Take care!

    Share This Post

Related Posts

  • Constipation increases your risk of a heart attack, new study finds – and not just on the toilet
  • The Brain Health Book – by Dr. John Randolph

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    The author, a clinical neuropsychologist and brain health consultant, brings his professional knowledge and understanding to bear on the questions of what works, what doesn’t, and why?

    In practical terms, the focus is mostly on maintaining/improving attention, memory, and executive functions. To that end, he covers what kinds of exercises to do (physical and mental!), and examines what strategies make the most difference—including the usual lifestyle considerations of course, but also more specifically than that, what to prioritize over what when it comes to daily choices.

    The style is easy pop-science, with an emphasis on being directly useful to the reader, rather than giving an overabundance of citations for everything as we go along. He does, however, explain the necessary science as we go, making the book educational without being academic.

    Bottom line: if you’d like to maintain/improve your brain, this book can certainly help with that, and as a bonus (unless you are already an expert) you’ll learn plenty about the brain as you go.

    Click here to check out The Brain Health Book, and use the power of neuroscience to improve your life!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails:

  • Unprocess Your Life – by Rob Hobson

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Rob Hobson is not a doctor, but he is a nutritionist with half the alphabet after his name (BSc, PGDip, MSc, AFN, SENR) and decades of experience in the field.

    The book covers, in jargon-free fashion, the science of ultra-processed foods, and why for example that pack of frozen chicken nuggets are bad but a pack of tofu (which obviously also took some processing, because it didn’t grow on the plant like that) isn’t.

    This kind of explanation puts to rest a lot of the “does this count?” queries that a reader might have when giving the shopping list a once-over.

    He also covers practical considerations such as kitchen equipment that’s worth investing in if you don’t already have it, and an “unprocessed pantry” shopping list.

    The recipes (yes, there are recipes, nearly a hundred of them) are not plant-based by default, but there is a section of vegan and vegetarian recipes. Given that the theme of the book is replacing ultra-processed foods, it doesn’t mean a life of abstemiousness—there are recipes for all manner of things from hot sauce to cakes. Just, healthier unprocessed ones! There are classically healthy recipes too, of course.

    Bottom line: if you’ve been wishing for a while that you could get rid of those processed products that are just so convenient that you haven’t got around to replacing them with healthier options, this book can indeed help you do just that.

    Click here to check out Unprocess Your Life, and unprocess your life!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails:

  • How to Prevent Dementia – by Dr. Richard Restak

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    We’ve written about this topic here, we know. But there’s a lot more we can do to be on guard against, and pre-emptively strengthen ourselves against, dementia.

    The author, a neurologist, takes us on a detailed exploration of dementia in general, with a strong focus on Alzheimer’s in particular, as that accounts for more than half of all dementia cases.

    But what if you can’t avoid it? It could be that with the wrong genes and some other factor(s) outside of your control, it will get you if something else doesn’t get you first.

    Rather than scaremongering, Dr. Restak tackles this head-on too, and discusses how symptoms can be managed, to make the illness less anxiety-inducing, and look to maintain quality of life as much as possible.

    The style of the book is… it reads a lot like an essay compilation. Good essays, then organized and arranged in a sensible order for reading, but distinct self-contained pieces. There are ten or eleven chapters (depending on how we count them), each divided into few or many sections. All this makes for:

    • A very “read a bit now and a bit later and a bit the next day” book, if you like
    • A feeling of a very quick pace, if you prefer to sit down and read it in one go

    Either way, it’s a very informative read.

    Bottom line: if you’d like to better understand the many-headed beast that is dementia, this book gives a far more comprehensive overview than we could here, and also explains the prophylactic interventions available.

    Click here to check out How To Prevent Dementia, because prevention is a lot more fun than wishing for a cure!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails: