Having family members with mental illness Families come in all shapes in sizes. They also come with people with all different personalities, and ways of living. Some of these people have mental illnesses such as: Bipolar 1 or 2, Schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, depression, and anxiety. As the number of people with mental illnesses are rising, so are the number of families where at least one member has a mental illness. Plus, the causes of most mental illnesses are unknown; however, there are some that have genetic links. Having a family member with mental illness has major effects on families.
Behavior
First, people with mental illnesses act different than others. They are almost always procrastinators, so things are turned in or paid for at the last moment or late. Though people link violence and mental illnesses (mainly schizophrenia), it is not very likely (Matthias, 2000). Also, some do not like taking their medicines and will try to go off them frequently. While it is true that having a mental illness makes everyday living harder; the person can still live a relatively normal …show more content…
They must work twice as hard to try to keep everything running smoothly. According to the American Psychology Association (APA), “It is important for the couple to keep in mind that most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness improve over time, and that a partner's attitude and behavior can make an important contribution to recovery. It helps to maintain an accepting and positive attitude, while holding realistic expectations for the partner with serious mental illness.” (APA, 2016). The spouse might get frustrated sometimes, but they just need to remember that life is hard on their partner to. Some couples might not be able to deal with it ending in divorce. Though having a mental illness can strain a marriage, if the couple tries hard enough they can make it
Behavior
First, people with mental illnesses act different than others. They are almost always procrastinators, so things are turned in or paid for at the last moment or late. Though people link violence and mental illnesses (mainly schizophrenia), it is not very likely (Matthias, 2000). Also, some do not like taking their medicines and will try to go off them frequently. While it is true that having a mental illness makes everyday living harder; the person can still live a relatively normal …show more content…
They must work twice as hard to try to keep everything running smoothly. According to the American Psychology Association (APA), “It is important for the couple to keep in mind that most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness improve over time, and that a partner's attitude and behavior can make an important contribution to recovery. It helps to maintain an accepting and positive attitude, while holding realistic expectations for the partner with serious mental illness.” (APA, 2016). The spouse might get frustrated sometimes, but they just need to remember that life is hard on their partner to. Some couples might not be able to deal with it ending in divorce. Though having a mental illness can strain a marriage, if the couple tries hard enough they can make it