resources for the families of patients with mood disorder?

[Anonymous]

Facing a dilemma... say one adult in the household experiences a mood disorder. The immediate effect on the entire family is pretty devastating -- especially on one of the kids who is herself pretty emotional and with some difficulty in adjustment. I'm trying to send DH to see a psychiatrist and see what we can do, but the last years have left the entire family drained. I have visions on how both me and DD will need some sort of help to emmerge from this, but can't fathom the amounts we would have to pay if each of us would have to be in therapy, meds, and probably some marital counseling.

Any suggestion for resources dedicated to helping the family of someone affected by mood disorder?

[Anonymous]

I know that NAMI has some workshops and child groups and weekend support get-togethers. Google them.

[Anonymous]

NAMI has a GREAT 12 week class called Family to Family, which I highly recommend. Taking it (twice) changed the way I viewed my husband (and now ex-husband). It gave me the ability to be more sympathetic and to understand more about mood disorders and treatment. Most importantly I came to understand that many of the behaviors I had previously interpreted as deliberate acts of cruelty, indifference, manipulation, laziness, etc. were really functions of the many effects of the mood disorder and were signs that prescribed treatment was not effective.

NAMI also has support groups. I attended a few, but found them helpful but not terrifically so because the family members present are dealing with a mixture of illnesses -- depression, bipolar depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, etc. The group has a facilitator who gets training, so in that sense it's good, but I personally found that there were too many disparate experiences to really be helpful except as a kind of moral support, sympathy and place to go w/o stigma. It is free, so worth it to try one or more groups. You might get lucky and find a group that fits you.

Are other issues involved? Alcoholism? Might try an al-anon group.

There are many great books on mood disorders. I found it helpful to read a lot. What kind of mood disorder do you think you're dealing with? Depression? Bipolar?

It's absolutely imperative to see a good psychiatrist experienced with mood disorders. Medications can make a world of difference. If your husband is resistant, try to take the line that you would insist he see a doctor if he had diabetes or heart disease and he wouldn't think twice about trying a medication for either of those. Mood disorders are no different.

What age range is child? How do you believe it is impacting him/her?

Marital counseling can not begin until psychiatrist is seen and patient is on some kind of stable meds. I have experienced/heard of many marital counselors who have undermined treatment for mental illness by blaming problems on relationship when real issue is illness. Most marital counselors have no training to identify issues related to mental illness. I would strongly recommend holding of on this aspect of therapy.

Better to see a counselor to vent and learn how to deal with mental illness/mood disorder in a relative.