Parental Mental Health

Many children will grow up with a parent who, at some point, will have a mental illness. Most of these parents will have a mild or short-lived illness, and will usually be treated by their GP. A few children live with a parent who has a severe mental illness such as schizophrenia or manic-depressive illness (often referred to as bi-polar affective disorder). Many more children live with a parent who has a long-term problem, such as alcohol or drug dependency, personality disorder or long-standing depression.

Difficulties for Children

Children often cope well when a parent is ill for a short time. It is easier for them if they can understand why their parents have become unwell, also it is important that things are explained to them, rather than being secretive about the problem. Children do find it difficult to cope when the problem is more long-term. For many children in this situation problems can arise if they:

• Are separated periodically from a parent who needs to go into hospital for treatment
• Feel unsure of their relationship with the parent with a mental illness
• Are not being looked after properly, both emotionally and physically
• Are being hit or mistreated
• Are having to look after a sick parent or are taking care of brothers and sisters
• Are upset, frightened, worried by or ashamed of their parents illness or behaviour
• Are being teased or bullied by others
• Hear unkind things being said about their ill parent

Problems that Children may develop

• Withdraw into themselves
• Become anxious and find it difficult to concentrate
• May find it difficult to talk about their parents illness or their problems at home, which may stop them from getting help
• Worry about becoming ill themselves, this can often be about the same illness as their parents
• Substance misuse