It’s normal to feel concerned and uncertain after your child got diagnosed with a mental illness, especially if it’s a condition you’ve never encountered before. There’s a lot to take in and a lot of questions to answer, so it’s vital to not only listen to your child’s doctor’s recommendations but to also educate yourself on the diagnosis and what you can do to cope.
The following are the steps you can take:
- Understand your child’s condition. The first and most important step you need to take right now as a parent is to understand what your child has and what they’re going through. Understand that the diagnosis does not make your child. In doing so, not only do you understand your child’s condition more, but you also learn more about how to take care of them and to help them cope with it.
- Seek support. Apart from educating yourself, it’s important as a parent to have your own support system. You can look to your friends and family for help and guidance, and you can also join support groups meant for parents dealing with children with mental illnesses. There are also forums available online where people with similar situations can share their experiences and the coping mechanisms that work for them.
- Cooperate with your child. Be your child’s support system and help them as they are. But as they’re learning to cope with their mental illness, you are too; don’t forget to take care of yourself so you can still attend to you and your child’s needs.
This new diagnosis might call for a change in routines and habits, but it’s nothing too different from adapting to a newfound physical health condition. Adapt and adjust. There’s no reason for the diagnosis to hinder your family from living a healthy life.
