Approve.

There definitely needs to be a change in the mindset of how people view mental illness so that caregivers can be more open in discussing
the struggles that comes with their responsibility. I feel that this change can occur now as compared to years past because of the Millennial generation that we currently live in. There have been shifts in the public’s views about what were once deemed taboo subjects in society so I feel that the same can be done for mental illness. May is mental illness month so conversations such as these should be highlighted to bring awareness. I am in total agreement that individuals who care for their mentally ill family members need to speak up and out. Sharing their experiences will help to unveil the cloak of secrecy and stigma that causes caregivers and the individual to be isolated and ostracized.

To add to your point of how can we help, there are the support services out there that provides information, assistance, respite, counseling, and support groups for caregivers and many of these programs and services are available through local government agencies, service organizations, faith-based organizations, employers’ programs and some grass roots organizations. And because we now live in a tech savvy society, lets not forget blogging, so many ideas and forums that share creative real life ideas by caregivers with similar circumstances are also available. The internet has a wealth of information on such topics, with the legitimate ones aiming to improve caregiver depression, anxiety and anger. At the end of the day, lets continue to work at reducing this already stressful environment and bring acceptance and visibility to a sensitive topic.

Yeonette G.

RU-ABSN – Newark