Family members will be affected by mental problems in twenty percent of a person’s life, but mental illness is treatable. Mental illness often has a ripple effect on families, bringing stress and worry, as well as causing large changes in the lives of family members. People with mental illness have different effects on different family members. Medical professionals sometimes rarely recognize these effects. Family members are also responsible for daily caregiving. They generally do not have the appropriate training, lack support, or are not aware of their own needs and their own mental health. Evidence suggests that once family members are partnered in caring for patients, with appropriate training and support, it will be beneficial for all involved. Where should we start? Developing a realistic, positive attitude is a good place to start. This means: facing the reality that one of your family members is mentally ill and that both you and other family members may be severely affected emotionally. At first you may feel anger, confusion, loss, and sadness about what is happening in your family and about the changes that are happening to the person. It is important to recognize this and talk to others about your feelings and thoughts. What skills do we need? 1. Talk with the patient and other family members. Say what you think and encourage others to do the same. Try to get everyone on the same page and understand where they are now. 2. See if you can take some skills classes related to caring for people with mental illness. Consider joining some support groups and talking to people who are in a similar situation to you. 3. Encourage the patient to take care of himself/herself as much as possible and, if practical, encourage the patient to go out and socialize and participate in activities in the local community. 4. See the patient as a whole person. Remember that they have personality, emotional and sexual needs just like everyone else. Has the doctor checked their physical health? Do they have any problems with alcohol or drugs? 5. If they have thoughts of suicide, self-harm or aggression, they should take them seriously and consult with their doctor to develop a plan together to activate them when the patient is in an unstable state. Keep the help number with you at all times. 6. When you are unable to care for a patient, you should be prepared in advance. Inform the patient and the physician and consider what legal and financial measures can be taken to ensure that the care of the patient is not compromised. What do we do in the event of an emergency? When a patient’s mental state is poor, the patient and others can be very anxious and confused. Remember these 3 principles: 1. Talk to the patient openly and with understanding. Do not push, yell, impulse or touch the patient. 2. Provide a quiet, safe environment for the patient. Move the patient to a quieter, more open environment. If necessary, remove objects that the patient could use to self-injure or harm others. Seek help from a physician, a member of the psychiatric crisis intervention team, or the police; 3. Try to appear relatively calm and confident. Be firm but not too friendly, and do not threaten the patient. Make sure that help will come.