- Educate yourself; Without education, it’s hard to grasp and
appreciate the severity of the symptoms, such as the terrifying
thoughts associated with schizophrenia or the suicidal ideation
of depression. - Seek out resources; Such as books or articles
about your loved ones illness. - Have realistic expectations;
Don’t assume that because your loved one came out of the
hospital or are on medication that they’re going to go back to
their everyday normal routine. They need to ease back into it to
avoid feeling overwhelmed and having a relapse. - Reach out for
support; It’s not just a change and recovery for the ill loved
one, you’re going through a lot as well. Take care of yourself
as well. Some good support groups are NAMI (national alliance on
mental illness) as well as MHA (mental health america). - Work
closely with your loved one’s treatment team; Ask them if they
would like to have you go to a therapy session with them or just
ask them how you can help. - Let your loved one have control;
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