One of the problems a carer faces is trying to find out what type of mental illness they are dealing with. It can often be a very long period of time before a mental illness is diagnosed because so many symptoms can present the same and sometimes a person can suffer from several symptoms of several illnesses.
Also, there are other issues, such as the person that is ill may not, at the time of assessment, be able to communicate that well, and therefore the doctor cannot get a clear picture of what is happening. Because of this it may take several psychiatrist visits, or hospitalisations, to fully understand what exactly is happening.
Another situation which arises is that, the person with the illness may be quite lucid during the interviews, so the doctor may have difficulty making any analysis at all of an illness until he views the symptoms at a later date.
Because of these scenarios there are usually several assessments before doctors are prepared to label an illness. It also becomes very difficult to put the patient on the best medication when a psychiatrist cannot assess all the symptoms due to various circumstances. This is one of reasons why psychiatrists often have to change medications at a later date.
It is so important though, that you get an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible so that everyone can start working on the process of getting life back on track.
Once you have the diagnosis, try and get all the facts about the particular illness you are dealing with as soon as possible, because the more you understand what the sufferer is going through, the more you will be able to understand and set up a situation to cope.
If you are a carer and have not had to deal with a mental illness before you are going to go through a huge learning curve in coping with this new situation and coming to terms with what the patient is suffering and experiencing.
One of the most important things to understand is that, what they are experiencing at the time of being unwell is very, very real to them. By understanding this it is possible to take a different attitude towards helping them, or coping with, what may seem to you, an unreal situation. Instead of arguing the point about reality, you can take a stance of 'agreeing to disagree'. This keeps the tension out of the situation for both of you and the problem can be discussed at a later date when the patient is in a better space.
At first, a lot of what is going on may be perceived as plain bad behaviour, or an extremely introverted personality depending on the effects of the illness.
Once you have a diagnosis you then know what you are dealing with. On the one hand, a diagnosis can be a bit horrifying in itself, but on the other hand, it can explain a lot of what has been happening and that can be a relief.
Fortunately, these days there is a lot of information on the internet, but remember, a psychiatric illness is not a 'black and white' illness, so don't expect the situation you are dealing with to present exactly as you read about. You may find the internet beneficial in finding out more about symptoms of the illness, and how to cope, but it is not a good idea to try and diagnose an illness from the internet.
It needs to be stressed again, that often when someone is very unwell they DO NOT EVEN KNOW THEY ARE UNWELL. When we, as carers, are dealing with them, we are dealing from a rational point of view and they are dealing from their own reality, which quite probably will be nothing like our perspective.
Copyright (c) 2008 Kaye Dennan
It is not easy to deal with your fears, anxieties, or any type of mental disorder. If you have such a problem, the first step is that you should talk to a professional who can get you started in the right path of getting better. Getting help from a counselor or other professional is very important and can provide you much help and insights in dealing with your current problem. Getting help from a professional should be the first thing you do in getting better. In the meantime, here are some techniques a person can use to help manage their fears, anxieties, and other issues.
Learn to take it one day at a time. Instead of worrying about how you will get through the rest of the week or coming month, try to focus on today. Each day can provide us with different opportunities to learn new things and that includes learning how to deal with your problems. Focus on the present and stop trying to predict what may happen next week. Next week will take care of itself.
A good way to manage your problem is to challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make your fearful or anxious, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense. When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms you with a lot of anxiety, the first thing you can do is to divide the task into a series of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.
Sometimes, we may be nervous doing a certain task that may be scary. When this happens, visualize yourself doing the task in your mind. For instance, you and your team have to play in the championship hockey game in front of a large group of people in the next few days. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself playing the game in your mind. Imagine that your playing in front of a large audience. By playing the game in your mind, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes. Self Visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation.
Sometimes we encounter a scary situation that gets us all upset. When encountering these events, always remember to get all of the facts of the given situation. Gathering the facts can prevent us from relying on exaggerated and fearful assumptions. By focusing on the facts, a person can rely on what is reality and what is not.
As a Layman and not as a professional, I realize it is not easy to deal with all of our fears and other problems, however there are all kinds of help available. Remember to take advantage of the help that is around you. The key is to be patient and not to give up. In time, you will be able to find those resources that will help you with your problems.
Both Kaye Dennan & Stanley Popovich are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kaye Dennan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Medicine, Family and Family Travel. Kaye Dennan is an author of a ebook Managing Mental Illness - Coping Strategies for the Carer, written from a carers perspective. For your copy go to. Kaye Dennan's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
Stanley Popovich has sinced written about articles on various topics from Recreation and Sports, Anxiety and Mens Health. Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear" an easy to read book that presents a overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to:. Stanley Popovich's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.