Carer support in psychosis Flashcards
What is psychosis?
A mental health condition that affects an individual’s ability to distinguish between reality and delusions or hallucinations.
Reference: American Psychiatric Association, 2013.
What role do caregivers play in the management of psychosis?
Caregivers help with treatment adherence, emotional support, and everyday functioning.
What are some common burdens experienced by caregivers of individuals with psychosis?
Caregivers experience:
* Emotional strain
* Physical health problems
* Social withdrawal
What percentage of caregivers for people with psychosis report clinical levels of distress?
65% of caregivers report clinical levels of depression, anxiety, and distress.
Reference: Onwumere et al., 2017.
True or False: Stigma associated with mental illness can exacerbate caregiver isolation.
True.
What emotional responses do caregivers often report due to caregiving challenges?
- Caregivers report feelings of grief, frustration, and guilt.
Especially if the onset of psychosis is sudden or involved aggressive behaviours from the person they cared for
- They can also feel capacity where they start to resent the person they’re caring for which leads to more stress.
What is role captivity in the context of caregiving?
Feeling trapped in the caregiving role, disrupting personal lives or careers.
What health issues can arise from prolonged caregiving?
Physical Health issues include:
* Chronic fatigue
* Hypertension
* Arthritis
* Heart disease
Psychological health issues include :
- social isolation due to time and energy spent caregiving - embarrassment or not having time to do hobbies
-
What are some positive aspects of caregiving reported by caregivers?
Caregivers report:
* Deepened relationships
* Personal growth
* Increased resilience
What are family-based interventions aimed at in the context of caregiving for psychosis and what is the fidficulty?
Family interventions focus on:
* Improving communication
* Understanding psychosis
* Reducing relapse rates
/ research file family support reduces psychosis relapse but access to the support can be tricky
How can digital health platforms support caregivers and offer a statistic?
Digital platforms allow caregivers to:
* Share experiences
* Receive peer support
* Access professional advice
Stat; around 90% of caregivers easy Internet to search for information
What impact can caregiving have on the mental and physical well-being of carers?
Caregiving significantly impacts:
* Mental health
* Physical health
High levels of burden and PTSD symptoms as well as isolation
What is the cognitive model of carer responses in psychosis?
It describes how carers’ appraisals of service user behavior influence their emotional responses and interactions.
- Initial relationship.
The initial relationship between care and service user and foundation for subsequent interactions. E.g. Strong support network means better outcome compared to weak support network.
2.. Appraisal of service uses behaviour is constantly affecting this and can be influenced by previous experience knowledge of psychosis or emotional responses. E.g. Seeing a hallucination as impending crisis coming.
- Cognitive and affective changes.
The appraisal of service users behaviour needs to have emotional changes in the carer which can manifest as increase stress anxiety if the carer feels helpless
E.g. Found carers who understood psychosis as manageable reported less stress and were able to cope with their loved ones.
- Behaviour towards service users. (Relationship)
Record and behavioural changes directly influence the carers behaviour towards the service user positive or negative
- Carer appraisal of illness.
The carers understando
the nature of the prognosis and treatment options significantly influences their response - looking for more biological medical interventions versus more of a psychosocial
- Camera relationship with services.
Will impact the experience and response and this also includes access to services
What is the significance of the initial relationship between the carer and the service user?
The initial relationship sets the foundation for subsequent interactions and outcomes.
Fill in the blank: Caregivers who understand psychosis as a _______ condition report less stress.
[manageable]
What role does the carer’s understanding of psychosis play in their response?
It influences their advocacy for treatment and engagement with the service user.
What are some outcomes of virtual reality (VR) training for carers?
Outcomes include:
* Enhanced empathy - experiencing auditory hallucinations
* Improved crisis management skills - handling crisis in a controlled environment preparing them for real life such as in VR service user acting aggressively practising deescalation
* Reduced anxiety - confronting fears such as what happens when they see an outburst and practising coping with it