There are resources for families that are trying to navigate through the tricky business of mental health in the home. The first resource can be posted throughout the house or somewhere that the family is aware of, because it can save a life: The Suicide Hotline number is 1-800-273-TALK. Family members can use it when they need help, as well as the person needing the help. The hospital emergency room is always an option if someone needs to be monitored.
However, if you are not in an emergency at the moment, there are two resources for families in the back of the book, The Path to Joy: 29 Family Strategies for Coping with Mental Illness and finding JOY again. One is the Family Coping Skills sheet. It simply lists each of the 29 Coping Strategies and why and how to use it. I have it available as a PDF if you would like it. Go to my website: chanencross.com and there’s a form that will pop up to put in the email you would like it sent to.
Another resource in The Path to Joy: 29 Family Strategies for Coping with Mental Illness and finding JOY again is the Scripture Verses Per Day sheet. This sheet is a compilation of Scripture Verses that have been a comfort to me. The Scripture verses are listed in order to help people memorize one per day of the month, so on the 1st of the month, you would be working to memorize the one by the number 1, and so on all the way to the 31st. Most people will need to use it for at least 4-6 months before they will really have the 31 verses memorized. It might even take a year to get them all memorized. But the idea is to have them ready when you need them so that when things get tough, as they often do when caring for someone with mental illness, you will have that Scripture verse to say either in your head or aloud. It is empowering to be able to change your thoughts to something positive and Scripture verses are nice because they help us remember that we are not alone and that we have a source inside us that stays calm and at peace no matter what is happening around us. When we are caring for someone with mental illness, we may need this comfort often! I have it available as a PDF if you would like it. Go to my website: chanencross.com and there’s a form that will pop up to put in the email where you’d like me to send it.
There are other websites that can be helpful to caregivers dealing with mental illness. One is NAMI.com (National Association of Mental Illness). They have so many great resources on their website and they also have a series of videos called modules that go over the issues that families are going to deal with once there is a mental health diagnosis.
Another resource, especially for young people, is a website called Bring Change to Mind. It was created by Glenn Close when her family had some mental illness issues. It is a great resource for high school and college aged students, but also has many good resources for everyone.
All of these resources can be helpful to families when dealing with mental illness. The key is knowing what to use and when. If a family member is in crisis, use the hotline number or doctor or emergency room. Otherwise, the most important thing is to remember to support the family while getting the help you need. It can feel very lonely when dealing with mental illness, as there are not enough resources for all the need. Keep going, keep supporting, and be kind to yourself and others through the process.
