Just Like Any Other Family? Everyday Life Experiences of Mothers of Adults with Severe Mental Illness in Sweden

Abstract

This study explores experiences of mothers in Sweden who care for their adult children suffering from severe mental illness. Using 15 interviews with mothers from 40 to 80 years old, the article examines how predominant professional knowledge and sanism constructs the mothers and their children as deviant and what counterstrategies the mothers develop as a response to these experiences of discrimination. The findings show that the mothers' experiences are characterized by endless confrontations with negative attitudes and comments that have forced them to go through painful and prolonged processes of self-accusations for not having given enough love, care, support and help in different stages of their children's life. But the mothers' experiences also reveal important aspects of changes over the life span. As the mothers are ageing, the relationship between them and their children becomes more reciprocal and the ill child may even take the role as family carer.

Experiences of familial stigma among individuals living with mental illnesses: A meta‐synthesis of qualitative literature from high‐income countries

“…From persons living with mental illnesses by family members was identified in 11 studies (Alexander, 2001; Bonnington & Rose, 2014; Darmi et al, 2017; Frieh, 2020; Ketokivi, 2015; Krupchanka et al, 2018; Piuva & Brodin, 2020; Seeman, 2013; Suto et al, 2012; Yang et al, 2012; Y‐Garcia et al, 2012). For instance, Ketokivi (2015) acknowledged that parents and siblings of persons with mental illnesses dissociated themselves from their relative due to the illness.…”

“…Within the concept of isolation and harmful relationships that occurred in families due to stigma of mental illnesses, four studies described a range of emotional experiences related to familial stigma. These included hurtful labelling, self-imposed feelings of shame, and expression(s) of fear that led to isolation (Piuva & Brodin, 2020;Y-Garcia et al, 2012), negative relationships with siblings (Suto et al, 2012),…”

“…Family members of persons with mental illnesses ensured concealment through restriction of information on their relative's condition (Bonnington & Rose, 2014; Chen et al, 2013; Karnieli‐Miller et al, 2013; McCann et al, 2011; Onwumere et al, 2016), disallowing their relative from taking medications, and encouraging them not to reveal or be open about their condition (Koro‐Ljungberg & Bussing, 2009; Ladd, 2018). Other studies noted that concealing one's mental illness in the family becomes self‐perpetuating as it can indeed lead to reduced experiences of stigmatization (Karnieli‐Miller et al, 2013; Piuva & Brodin, 2020; Weiss et al, 2013). In terms of parent–child relationships, some parents prevented their children post‐diagnosis from spending time with friends as a form of concealment (van Der Sanden et al, 2015).…”

Supporting the Support Network: The Value of Family Peer Work in Youth Mental Health Care

“…As has been found in other studies, benefits from the current model of peer support service lay in the provision of: emotional support and empathy to family care-givers (Morrison and Stomski 2019), reducing stress (Gleeson et al 2017, Addington et al 2003, loneliness, isolation and stigma (Piuva and Brodin 2020); providing a 'bridging' or liaison role between the family and the clinical care team (Ehrlich et al 2020), especially in situations where the family may have had a previous poor experience of services, or were overwhelmed by the size or complexity of the care team; helping families to navigate through the complexities of the care system and empowering families to seek the care they felt was best suited to them (Jenkins 2019) and their families; connecting families to other services and supports that might be available and appropriate.…”

“…Youth mental health is an area of increasing public and political interest, as reported rates of mental illness continue to climb in young Australians (Mission Australia 2017). In a family environment the carers of these young people play a highly influential role in their recovery process, however this responsibility can also have significant emotional, financial and health impacts on carers (Askey et al 2009;Piuva and Brodin 2020). Recently, increased appreciation in the mental health sector for multidisciplinary teams and family-centred care has enabled the development of peer-led support programs, utilising the benefits of social support to help alleviate distress amongst families and carers (Stein et al 2013).…”