Mental Illness & Parents 26.2% adults suffer from a diagnosable mental illness 66% of women are mothers 50% of men are fathers Over a million parents suffer from mental illness Solchany Copyright 2012
Dec 13, 2015
Solchany Copyright 2012
Mental Illness & Parents
26.2% adults suffer from a diagnosable mental illness
66% of women are mothers
50% of men are fathersOver a million parents
suffer from mental illness
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Parents & Mental Illness
More likely to be involved in public mental health services
More likely to struggle financially
Often struggle to get the services they need
Hospitalizations can disrupt family functioning
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Parents & Mental Illness
Medication can complicate things—symptomatically and financially
Maintaining employment can be a challenge
Substance abuse in individuals with mental health issues is on the rise
Spiegelhoff & Ahia, 2011
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Impact on Children
Children of parents with mental illnesses have a higher risk of delayed or deviant development
Children also have a higher risk of emotional and behavioral problems
Increased likelihood child will be removed from home at some point
More likely to have children with mental health issues, 30-50% vs. 20% in standard population.
Oyserman, et al. 2000
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Common Parenting Impacts
Normal parent stress is amplified
Amplification is more intense when the children are struggling with their own mental health or developmental issues
Consistent and appropriate discipline can be a major challenge
Parents who are mentally ill often had early difficulties of their own learning how to relate and cope well these difficulties may persist well into adulthood
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Common Parenting Impacts
Challenge balancing meeting own needs with meeting family needs
Symptoms can be triggered by any stressor, large or small
Stability can be fragile and unpredictable, regaining stability can be challenging
Control of symptoms does not guarantee adequate ability to parent
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Common Depressive Symptoms
Withdrawn behavior Hypersomnia Insomnia Lack of joy/positive emotion No animation Lack of connection Lack of care of self Isolation Avoidance of eye contact Indecisive Poor judgment Little insight
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Potential Impact
Disinterest in child Unable to meet child's basic
needs of food, protection, hygiene, etc.
Isolating child and self Avoids eye contact Does not talk to child No playfulness Exposure to crying Own cries not met or
consoled dysregulation Sleeps through child’s needs Uses child to meet own
needs
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Manic Symptoms
Tangential thinking Unpredictable and/or
violent behavior Rapid speech Little or no sleep for
days Unable to communicate
well Possible associated
psychosis Suicidal Perceptions skewed Acts in unpredictable
ways
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Potential Impact
Violent to child Creating environment of
fear Keep child up/interfere
with child’s sleep Overwhelms child with
stories, information or demands
Creates environment of chaos and lack of safety
Creates confusion No routines No emotional containment
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Lability
Rapidly changing emotions
Unpredictable Unable to pick up on
emotional cues of anyone Mood changes are not in
sync with environment Easily angered Anger Outbursts Lashes out Impulsive Self Centered
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Potential Impact
Unpredictable environment
Confusing presentation of feelings and behavior
Chaos Inconsistency Lack of stability Unable to meet child’s
basic needs Fear Trauma Inability to link cause and
effect
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Anxiety
Panic attacks Obsessions Compulsions Frozen/fear Agitation Too little or too much
sleep Refusal to leave house Isolation Unable to get to work Rigid
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Potential Impact
Isolation Rigidity Unsafe environment Creation of a fearful
environment Lack of care Lack of meeting basic
needs Unable to support child in
socializing Unable to participate in
child’s school Creates anxiety in child Overprotective
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Psychosis
Not in touch with reality Misunderstands Misinterprets Attributes inappropriate
meaning to typical things Acts on disordered
thinking patterns Hallucinations Unable to speak
coherently Confused Hears command voices to
hurt child
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Potential Impact
Cannot reality test for child Cannot connect child to
real life events Unable to interpret events Multiple separations Confusing care Lack of care Safety issues Does not communicate
with child Avoids and isolates Safety risks
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Delusions
Believes they are someone they are not
Believes things happened that did not
Believes things are true that are not
Believes others have roles or are people they are not
Lives in fantasy created
Paranoia
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Potential Impact
Unable to protect child/put child at risk
Ignores important or critical things
Bases decisions within relationship on lack of facts/reality
Trusts those they shouldn’t Does not trust those they
need Refuses to let others in
home/isolates Tries to put child in a
specific imagined role
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Incoherence
No knowledge of self No knowledge of
others Struggle to make sense
of anything Unable to communicate
and make sense Answers to questions
do not make sense
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Potential Impact
Unavailable Not able to protect Unable to communicate Lack of connection Lack of awareness of
child’s presence Unable to be a
resource for child Cannot help make
sense of the world
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Disconnected with Reality
In wrong day/timeOperating in a
different realityMisidentifying
facts/personsIntense fearsUnable to manage
daily needs
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Potential Impact
Chaos Confusion Safety issues Creating trauma Lack of judgment Scaring child Not providing
basics for child
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Aggression
Symptoms
To self Cutting Suicide attempts Risk taking behaviors Gun play
To others Homicidal behavior Domestic violence Child abuse
Potential Impact
Safety Loss Physical injury Risk of death Certain of trauma
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Drug Use
Symptoms
Drug seeking Connection with risky
others Choosing drugs over
other opportunities Use to get high Use to calm down/sleep Unable to connect or
unavailable
Potential Risks
Risk to safety Lack of connection Exposure to drugs Exposure to sexual
abuse Unable to meet basic
needs
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Dissociation
Symptoms
Disconnects with present
Blacks out Lack of recall Flashbacks Daydreaming Self abuse Odd decisions/behavior
Potential Impact
Lack of connection Avoidance of child Lack of supervision Fear and
disorganization Safety risks
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Narcissism
Symptoms
Puts self first Struggles or
cannot see other’s needs/issues as significant
Plays to Win Seeks power Control over
others
Potential Impact
Lack of sensitivity Lack of empathy Child cannot win or
succeed Cannot identify child’s
needs or meet them
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Manipulation
Symptoms
Pitting one person against another
Lying Taking on victim role Creating conflict Making threats,
especially those connected to significant relationships
Potential Impact
Used as a pawn Unable to know what is
true and what is not Fear and chaos Instability
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Grandiosity
Symptoms
Makes things bigger than they are
Makes up stories to reflect success or accomplishments
Boasting Name dropping Exaggeration
Potential Impact
Cannot see child as independent
Struggle to see child’s needs as important
Cannot easily empathize
Intrusive
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Paranoia
Symptoms
Suspicious of others Thinks others are
plotting or talking about them
Takes benign events and processes them into something diabolical
Fears being watched Fears being listened to Fears spying
Potential Impact
Isolation Suspicious of child Accusing Confusing Cannot meet basic
needs
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Parenting Responsibilities
Vocational Decisions
Financial Obligations
Spousal Relationship Issues
Extended Family Issues
Social Responsibilities
Stress Tolerance
Daily CareHome CleanlinessChild’s Basic
Needs MetEducational
Connections and Follow Through
Social Connections
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Parent’s Level of Functioning
How is this parent able to function in society & care for themselves?
Friends Work Interact with others Aware of community resources School Family Support child’s school Get to meetings/treatment Has transportation Has housing, food, clothing, medications…
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Basic Needs
Do they have housing or a safe place to live?
Do they have a plan to maintain a safe home?
Is it appropriate housing?
Is it clean? Is it safe?
Can they transport the child as needed?
Do they have food in the home, adequate and appropriate for the child?
Do they have the ability to clothe the child appropriately?
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Safety Needs
Safe home
Keeps away from dangerous people
No drug or alcohol use
Lives in safe surroundings
Able to provide supervision of child
Has safe toys
Has safe foods
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Health Can appropriately care for self
Attends appointments
Able to get child to appointments
Child is healthy
Immunizations are up to date
Child has seen a dentist
Acknowledges and addresses child’s special needs
Takes an interest in child’s health needs
Follows supportive practices, i.e. foods, dress
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Understanding Child’s Cues/Communication
Can they understand what their child is trying to communicate with them?
Are they feeding baby without any cues?
Can they read the child’s cues?
Do they problem solve when they are not sure?
Do they use baby-ease talking with baby?
Are they patient and focused with the child?
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Take Child’s Perspective
Can they identify what the child might be thinking?
Can they identify what the child might be feeling?
Do they seem sensitive to this?
To they use this information for the child’s benefit?
Do they compare the child to their own issues?
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Relationship
Do they talk to child?
Do they allow for a back and forth to occur?
Do they listen to the child?
Are their interactions free from hostility? Are they respectful to the child?
Do they avoid arguing/fighting inform of child?
Do they provide a structure and sense of routine?
Do they nurture the child
How does the child respond to this
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Emotional Well Being
Can they recognize the child's needs a a person?
Can they recognize the child’s connections to others?
Can they see the impact of their actions on the child?
Do they dismiss what the child is feeling or experiencing?
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Self Sacrifice
Are they willing to give up their own pleasure for that of their children?
Do they have a “parent rules” attitude?
Are they willing to focus on their relationship with their baby?
Do they make money decisions that put their baby first?
What are their options within their current standard of living?
Is it realistic and/or feasible
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Mindfulness
Can they see the practical side of things?
Can they see the emotional side of things?
Can they be reflective of themselves and their decisions?
Can they be reflective of their child and the impact of their behaviors/choices on their child?
Do their words and actions match up?