Caring for Loved Ones

As a relative or friend of someone with mental illness, your understanding and support are vital to your loved one's improvement. And it is just as important to find time and support for your own needs.

From the start, it's essential for you to recognize that your loved one's mental illness is not your fault, nor is it their fault. They are suffering from a very real, treatable illness that affects the chemistry of their brain. It is not a weakness. It is not caused by past events, and it can't be overcome by simply "trying harder."

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