Stress and Challenges of Parenting a Child with a Mental Illness

Here's what's happening on the HealthyPlace site this week:

• Stress and Challenges of Parenting a Child with a Mental Illness
• Helpful Information for Parents Who Have a Child with a Mental Illness
• Share Your Mental Health Experiences
• "Saving My Daughter's Sanity" On HealthyPlace TV

Stress and Challenges of Parenting a Child with a Mental Illness

We are wrapping up our month-long series of HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Shows directed at parents caring for children with a mental illness.

• Parenting Kids with Behavior Problems
• Parents of Addicts
• Eating Disorders Recovery: Information for Parents
• Psychosis Saving My Daughter's Sanity

What have we learned that can help us in our own journey? Some of the advice from our guests centered around common themes:

• The importance of educating yourself about the mental illness. Not just a cursory read of signs and symptoms, but in-depth information.
• Seek out other parents who have gone through the same process. The information they have to offer can be invaluable.
• If you are not satisfied with your child's progress or care, get a second, third, fourth opinion.
• Consider your child's condition and age and be realistic about the progress and outcome.
• Mental illnesses have a way of dividing the parents. If necessary, get professional help so both parents can work together for your child's benefit and preserve the marriage or working relationship.
• Maintain your own sanity through counseling, getting out, joining a support group.

Finally, none of the parents we spoke with considered themselves heroes. Yet they are. Through circumstances beyond their control, they rose to the occasion, dealt with the stresses and challenges at hand, and are providing their child with the best care they could find and pay for, and still manage to survive themselves and share their expertise and experiences with others. That, my fellow readers, is courageous and heroic.

Helpful Information for Parents Who Have a Child with a Mental Illness

• HealthyPlace Parenting Community
• All Parenting Articles

Share Your Mental Health Experiences

Share your experiences with stigma of mental illness or any mental health subject, or respond to other people's audio posts, by calling our toll-free number (1-888-883-8045).

You can listen to what other people are saying by clicking on the gray title bars inside the widgets located on the "Sharing Your Mental Health Experiences" homepage, the HealthyPlace homepage, and the HealthyPlace Support Network homepage.

If you have any questions, write us at: info AT healthyplace.co

"Saving My Daughter's Sanity" On HealthyPlace TV

Starting at age 15, Susan Inman's daughter had her first psychotic episode. The second psychotic break lasted two years. Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, doctors considered her the most ill teen they had ever treated. Susan recounts the challenges her family faced and what she learned can help you. All on this week's HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show.

Watch the interview on the HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show website. On-demand after next Tuesday.

• Psychosis and Saving My Daughter's Sanity (tv show blog, guest post which includes audio)

Coming in April on the HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show

• Long-Term Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse
• Living with Schizophrenia
• How to Talk to a Child about Suicide

If you would like to be a guest on the show or share your personal story in writing or via video, please write us at: producer AT healthyplace.com

Click here for a list of previous HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Shows.

From HealthyPlace Mental Health Blogs

• Can I Live A Peaceful Bipolar Life? (Bipolar Vida blog)
• Putting the Brakes on ADHD-Fueled Road Rage (ADDaboy! adult ADHD blog)
• New Optimism for Parents on Causes and Treatment of Eating Disorders (Eating Disorder Recovery: The Power of Parents blog)
• Adult ADHD: Motivated to Procrastinate
• Anxiety Sufferer and Pregnant (Nitty Gritty of Anxiety blog)

Feel free to share your thoughts and comments at the bottom of any blog post. And visit the mental health blogs homepage for the latest posts.

back to: HealthyPlace.com Mental-Health Newsletter Index