How to talk to child about parent's mental illness?

[HappyTomato]

I can't go into too much detail here but does anyone have links, info, etc they can share about talking to a child and helping them cope with their parent's mental illness? TIA

[KatWrangler]

Here is a link to the NAMI chapters. If you look for your state you should find a contact person. Call them and ask for advice.

Off the top of my head I am not sure of any books geared to a child's level that would be helpful. But I am sure there are some out there.

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Sec...iateFinder.cfm

[blessedwithboys]

i've always known my exhusband would be dx with something someday, and recently he was. paranoid schizophrenia. i told my 7yo ds that daddy is sick, just like someone who has the flu is sick, but he can take medicine to get better. i also mentioned that it wasnt his body that is sick, but rather it is his thoughts. sometimes his thoughts dont work right and he needs extra help to remember what really happened. we know several children who wear AFOs (leg braces) and i've told my son that its like so and so who needs help to walk properly...daddy needs help to think properly.

probably in the next yr or so i will tell him more. right now this is all he needed to understand why his father is no longer employed. when he asks for more info i will give it, as age-appropriately as i can manage.

FWIW, exdh tells him nothing, as he is still indenial.

[HappyTomato]

Originally Posted by blessedwithboys

i've always known my exhusband would be dx with something someday, and recently he was. paranoid schizophrenia. i told my 7yo ds that daddy is sick, just like someone who has the flu is sick, but he can take medicine to get better. i also mentioned that it wasnt his body that is sick, but rather it is his thoughts. sometimes his thoughts dont work right and he needs extra help to remember what really happened. we know several children who wear AFOs (leg braces) and i've told my son that its like so and so who needs help to walk properly...daddy needs help to think properly.

probably in the next yr or so i will tell him more. right now this is all he needed to understand why his father is no longer employed. when he asks for more info i will give it, as age-appropriately as i can manage.

FWIW, exdh tells him nothing, as he is still indenial.

Thank you for this!!! And thank you katwrangler for the link. I'll check it out.

[VisionaryMom]

I don't know what you're dealing with, but this site/book/researcher is supposed to be good for dealing with bipolar issues. There's also an organization geared specifically to children whose parents have bipolar disorder, but I will have to look it up. I can't remember the name right now.

http://www.childrenofbipolar.com/

As for what we've told my children, it's basically that I have a disease that affects my brain. I take medication to help, and I go to the doctor to talk about my problems. Sometimes Mom needs extra sleep or is easily upset, and that's because I'm sick.

[HappyTomato]

Originally Posted by VisionaryMom

I don't know what you're dealing with, but this site/book/researcher is supposed to be good for dealing with bipolar issues. There's also an organization geared specifically to children whose parents have bipolar disorder, but I will have to look it up. I can't remember the name right now.

http://www.childrenofbipolar.com/

As for what we've told my children, it's basically that I have a disease that affects my brain. I take medication to help, and I go to the doctor to talk about my problems. Sometimes Mom needs extra sleep or is easily upset, and that's because I'm sick.

Thank you for sharing this!