By June Roberts, Staff Writer
It is extremely important that you, the
caregiver, take care of yourself since caring for a
loved one with schizophrenia can be very exhausting.
You can begin by creating a support team for
yourself. Be sure to visit with people who you can
really open up to, and who can help lift your mood
in return. Go to the movies with friends, or have a
certain night when you meet friends at a restaurant
and enjoy a good, relaxing meal. You can also help
manage your stress level with regular exercise, as
well as making sure to minimize your intake of
alcohol or other drugs since they tend to decrease
the ability to deal with the stress. You’ll run the
risk of burnout if you don’t continue to live your
own life, so you need to make an effort to follow
through with your own activities and hobbies. Most
of all, realize that there is only so much that you
can do. You can’t talk someone out of mental
illness, nor can you cure the condition by yourself,
so try hard to not becoming the “rescuer.” Lastly,
just be yourself, and do not take anything
personally, especially during a loved one’s
episodes. Remember that you are not alone as a
caregiver, and that you do have different ways in
which to reach out and receive the support and
guidance that will help you through even the most
stressful of situations.
Information, support, and advocacy organizations:
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-3042
Phone: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or (703) 524-7600
http://www.nami.org
National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
2001 N. Beauregard Street, 12th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311
Phone: 1-800-969-6942 or (703) 684-7722
TTY-800-443-5959
Ihttp://www.nmha.org
National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help
Clearinghouse
1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 1000
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 1-800-553-4key (4539) or (215) 751-1810
http://www.mhselfhelp.org/index2.html
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia
and Depression (NARSAD)
60 Cutter Mill Road, Suite 404
Great Neck, NY 11021
Phone: (516) 829-0091
Infoline 1-800-829-8289
http://www.narsad.org
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