Illness in the family

When we speak of illness, it may be mental illness or physical illness. Mental illness may be psychosomatic or heredity or it may be due to chemical imbalance in the brain. A physical illness may also be psychosomatic or it may be due to some injury or due to the effects of external environment such as bacterial or viral infection or it may be due to natural degeneration. What ever may be the cause, the patient and the immediate family members who are caretakers bear the brunt of the illness. In case of physical illness, there is physical pain accompanied by financial drain. The patient is vulnerable, and many a time he is totally dependent even for his basic needs on the caretakers. It is but natural for him to suffer low self esteem, loose faith in everything and everybody, and may also view life in a negative manner. In other words, he displays symptoms of depression. This is a time when the role of the caretaker is very important. He has to display the skills of a counselor, where he is empathic, non-judgmental, non-critical, and is also a good listener. The core values of love, care and patience shown by the family members, helps in speedy recovery of the patient. In case of mental illness too, the patient and the caretakers who are mostly the immediate family members bear the brunt of the illness. Here also there is financial drain and further, the family members may also suffer from mental trauma due to lack of awareness about the illness. Proper awareness about the illness and knowledge of how to cope with the illness helps them to manage it. Awareness about the illness, understanding and accepting the illness will pave the way for taking the help of professionals who deal with mental illness. Mental illness is also like physical illness and no more a taboo. It is curable and manegable.