Mental Health Information 
Knowing your symptoms, getting the facts and taking self tests are all ways to increase knowledge about yourself and others as it relates to mood disorders or other mental illness. Having the correct information can help you make more informed decisions. As well as detailed descriptions of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and the other mental illnesses you see listed, you can click on the corresponding fact sheets to get a printable summary of the disorder you are interested in. Remember there is no substitute for getting a professional, in-person, assessment of your symptoms. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, see a doctor.  For more information about mental illness click here or on Links at the bottom of each page.                                                


Family Self-Care and Recovery from Mental Illness

This resource manual is intended for families of people dealing with a mental illness. The focus is on helping families to be informed caregivers, particularly around the necessity to care for themselves and other family members, whose needs are as important as those of the ill relative.

Education about mental illness will help families to better understand what their ill relative needs and what they can do to both support the relative and maintain their own health. We believe is it essential that you remain well if you want to be able to support your relative effectively.

There are a great number of resources available that will enable family members to learn more about mental illness and how it is managed both medically and through rehabilitation. There is great value in these resources, we recommend you learn as much as you can about mental iilllness and how it is manged, bearing in mind it is often best to pace yourself when taking in new information.

A list of helpful resources and organizations offering support education is in included in Appendix D. There are many resources available that will help to provide a solid foundation for how to recognize signs of mental illness, where to get help, and how it is managed through our health care system.

This resource in intended to supplement available information and turn the focus on two main areas where information is lacking: Self care; and transitioning from care giving to supporting a relative towards recovery.

Self care is vital as family caregivers are at risk of becoming overwhelmed, both physically and mentally, from the challenges of dealing with an ill relative.

Focusing on recovery and gradually moving to ward a more supportive role in which you maintain your own interests and lead your own life can prevent you from becoming engulfed in your relative's illness or from being perceived as intrusive in thbeir life. Focusing on recovery will enable you to deal more effectively with the challenges of mental illness in the long run.