This new course explores some of the key issues and questions relevant to a carer supporting a relative with psychosis such as: (1) Why is schizophrenia described as psychosis? (2) How can we best understand psychosis and its key symptoms, such as hearing voices? (3) What are the links between cannabis use and developing psychosis? (4) Can psychosis affect physical health? (5) How do medications in psychosis work and what effects can they have? (6) In what ways are siblings of people with psychosis affected? (7) How can psychosis affect a carer’s health and relationships?
“When a person first develops a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia, their social networks and friendships are adversely affected,” Dr Onwumere says. “Their social world can become very small, comprising only a handful of close others, such as parents, a partner or siblings.
“Several factors can contribute to this, including fear, stigma, and the sheer confusion of others about how best to understand and respond to confusing and distressing illness experiences, such as hallucinations and delusions. In recognition of the many difficulties faced by families, treatment guidelines in different countries across the globe recommend offering educational support to the families of individuals with psychosis. These educational interventions are designed to promote a better understanding of the illness as well as the use of helpful strategies which can improve coping, and to reduce the negative impact a psychotic illness can have on families and friendships.
“But meeting these recommendations is a challenge, particularly at times when services and organisations have reduced resources, and when families themselves may have little time available in their day-to-day lives, as they deal with parallel challenges, such as working and caring for other family members. Online educational interventions have the potential to offer cost- and time-effective approaches to sharing relevant information and new developments with large numbers of families on a global stage.”
