When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness: A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers, Revised and Expanded

by Rebecca Woolis

This indispensable book about love and mental health addresses the short-term, daily problems of living with a person with mental illness, as well as long-term planning and care. Of special note are the forty-three “Quick Reference Guides” about such topics as: responding to hallucinations, delusions, violence and anger; helping your loved one comply with treatment plans and medication; deciding if the person should live at home or in a facility; choosing a doctor and dealing with mental health professionals; handling the holidays and family activities; managing stress; helping siblings and adult children with their special concerns.

“Ms. Woolis produced a handbook which is both practical and accessible, eminently useful for all of us who have a family member with a serious mental illness.” –E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., author of Surviving Schizophrenia

“Rebecca Woolis presents easy-to-follow practical guidelines for coping with the multitude of problems that regularly confront families. In minutes the reader can find helpful suggestions for dealing with any problem that might arise.” –Christopher S. Amenson, Ph.D., Director, Pacific Clinics East

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Health, Mental Illness, Mental Health, Self Help, Parenting

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 1992

About the author

REBECCA WOOLIS, MFT, is a licensed family therapist who has specialized for more than twenty years in working with people who suffer from mental illness, and with their families. She has directed a variety of community mental health programs for people with mental illness, and with co-occurring substance abuse, and for their family and friends. The recipient of a Distinguished Service Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Marin County, California, and a Mental Health Achievement Award from the Mental Health Association of Alameda County, California, she is in private practice in Berkeley.

Reviews

[Theresa Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a couple of years after it came out in the middle 1990s. I have four mentally ill siblings. This is typical of large Irish families and often there is just no explanation as to why. Was it trauma, was it poverty, was it genetics? Or perhaps a combination of all three. Out of my eight siblings, four would be impacted with serious mental illness. This book helped me step out of the incredibly powerful Survivor's Guilt that I felt at being one of the "normal" ones in my family. Its a deep, deep feeling and sometimes it never goes away. This book will help you know what to do, if you have a loved one who is mentally ill. It provides support, and logical rational suggestions on what to do, how to communicate, and how to usher in help. This was published in 1992, and provides excellent information on how to survive the chaos and the danger of not knowing what to do. Highly recommended.

[eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

not bad content at all, but it seemed mainly relevant to schizophrenia, despite the author occasionally throwing in references to other mental illnesses such as depression.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief but really good suggestions. Love her "quick reference guides" disbursed throughout the chapters. Very helpful.

[Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good informative book, but maybe an updated version would have been good. Still a lot of relevant and interesting stuff in it. Worth a read.

[Alejandra Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helped me understand mental illness and how to navigate it

[Deborah Ackerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book through BookTasters on Twitter for a review.

This book is aim toward regonizing and understanding the emotions and the needs of caregivers of loved ones or adults with chronic illness like cancer as well as many others. This book is also aimed at helping caregivers and family to work through emotions that come with chronic illness.

Though this book was written more towards taking care of an adult with chronic illness, I found so many of the feelings and tactics in this book incredibly useful for handling my two terminal children. I found myself using the things said in this book throughout my daily life such has the breathing exercises for anxiety and stress.

Most definitely a must read and a helpful guide to getting into the mind and understanding of someone dealing with the same or similar circumstances.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the time this book was written, it was groundbreaking and a great snapshot (at that time) of mental illness. However, much of the information is specific to those that are severely chronically mentally ill such as those with a Bipolar I or Schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis. The purpose of reading a book such as this is to delve deeper into understanding those with severe mental illness and assisting caregivers with the mental fatigue of their caregiving role. The information related to caregiving resources and increasing understanding of those with mental illness is still relevant even in today’s world.

[Patricia Levesque · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have if you have a love one who has a mental illness. Even though I've read it, I still need to keep it handy.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Someone You Love Has A Mental Illness by Rebecca Woolis is an invaluable book for anyone who lives with or cares fro someone suffering from a mental illness.