How to talk to family about wellbeing and mental health Trying to explain your illness to those closest to you can be an intimidating challenge, so here’s some expert advice to help you get the conversation started…
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Writing | Katie Conibear
owever much we love them, talking to family about our mental health can be hard work. It can be daunting to start a conversation about it, and even tougher to help them understand. I was lucky. My family was there for me when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. However, even though my mum worked with children with mental illness, and my dad was a social worker, it still took them a long time to deal with the diagnosis. If your family has no experience of mental illness, it can feel like a monumental task to explain any of it. Counsellor and psychotherapist Lucy Fuller says: “Whatever form mental illness takes, it is still an illness. If you had a heart problem, >>> June 2020 • happiful.com • 35
