LWIEN aims to provide a lifeline to family members who feel overwhelmed by the daily pressure and mental anguish of caring for a family member suffering from a mental illness.
Family Caregivers are at risk of developing mental health problems themselves. The daily struggle to grapple with the challenge of caring for a loved one with mental illness is grueling and exhausting and often leads to high anxiety and distress. Family caregivers often end up depressed. Their relationships suffer. Their morale at work is threatened.
Family caregivers of mentally ill persons lack support since service providers mostly focus on the needs of the sufferer. LWIEN tries to redress this situation by providing the following support to alleviate distress, educate, support and nurture resilience:
Family Caregivers are at risk of developing mental health problems themselves. The daily struggle to grapple with the challenge of caring for a loved one with mental illness is grueling and exhausting and often leads to high anxiety and distress. Family caregivers often end up depressed. Their relationships suffer. Their morale at work is threatened.
Family caregivers of mentally ill persons lack support since service providers mostly focus on the needs of the sufferer. LWIEN tries to redress this situation by providing the following support to alleviate distress, educate, support and nurture resilience:
- Individual and Family Consultations with a senior psychiatric nurse. Family members have the opportunity to discuss the nature of their family member’s illness, the symptoms, potential side-effects of medication and what to do about them, relating to the mentally ill family member without exacerbating painful behaviour patterns, and learning ways of caring for oneself without breaking down
- Social work support which also enables access to other support services
- Self-help literature in Maltese
- Access to the SJAF Emotional Freedom Service
LWIEN brochure
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Click to access EUFAMI website
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Tips for Family Caregivers of
Mentally Ill Persons
Weathering the Storm - (Extracts from the book: BDOTI FIL-MALTEMP. Edited by Nora Macelli and Connie Magro. Published by the Mental Health Association and the St Jeanne Antide Foundation, 2015.) Translated by JEAN KILLICK
When you are taking care of a family member with mental health difficulties, you should do your best to obtain information on the condition being faced. It is wise to keep yourself updated on therapy and medication used. It is also very important to keep regular contact with the professionals involved in the treatment. This means that, if you notice any different or alarming change in behaviour, you must contact the patient’s doctor.
This article provides family caregivers with tips on how they should continue the difficult journey of care with more confidence, knowledge and ease. Practical tips provided in this article focus on the following specific mental health problems: Phobia, Depression, Suicide, OCD, Eating Disorders, Hoarding Mania, Bi-Polar Disorder, Psychosis, Borderline Personality Disorder and Relapse.
Click on any of the above mental health problems to access professional tips to follow.
When you are taking care of a family member with mental health difficulties, you should do your best to obtain information on the condition being faced. It is wise to keep yourself updated on therapy and medication used. It is also very important to keep regular contact with the professionals involved in the treatment. This means that, if you notice any different or alarming change in behaviour, you must contact the patient’s doctor.
This article provides family caregivers with tips on how they should continue the difficult journey of care with more confidence, knowledge and ease. Practical tips provided in this article focus on the following specific mental health problems: Phobia, Depression, Suicide, OCD, Eating Disorders, Hoarding Mania, Bi-Polar Disorder, Psychosis, Borderline Personality Disorder and Relapse.
Click on any of the above mental health problems to access professional tips to follow.
Other information:
Mard Mentali fin-nisa
Mental health in women
by Nora Macelli
All over the world, women face injustices and inequality, both in terms of human rights, as well as economically. 70% of the poor in the world are women. Their health is the first victim.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), deaths among mothers hardly decreased from 1990 to date. As far as mental illness, the researches show that it affects women and men differently. Women are 40% more prone to mental illness. Also according to WHO, 1 in 3 women in the world, at some point in their lives, suffer from symptoms of depression. The schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder are equally common among men and women; Only these occur later in life in women . Some known disorders are more common among women than in men and some of the symptoms also vary.
In life, women find themselves in very difficult situations which easily affect their mental health. Shifting in hormones make women a pendulum of moods. The WHO says that women live longer than men and that there are more women who suffer from Dementia. Some studies also say that there are more women than men suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The women suffering abuse is one of the main reasons. Abuse on women includes rape, incest, assault and physical violence and psychological and emotional cruelty. In life, the woman is more anxious than man because most rely on liabilities. Moreover, the phenomenon of single mothers render women in a position where the woman has to provide everything for the family. In many cases the father is not present in the lives of his children and does not contribute to the maintenance. Unless she receives help from her parents, the mother alone ends doing everything for her children. There are many women who can not afford to bear this burden alone and end up in an abusive relationships because they feel they do not have a choice.
There are many factors that cause mental disorders in women. These include:
- genetics;
- coming from a family where life and home environment is very chaotic. It is recognized that there is a chance that the girls from such families develop borderline personality disorder. The boys from such families tend to develop addiction, narcissistic personality disorder and sociopathy;
- nutritional deficiency that causes anemia; and this causes depression. There is a tendency of women with few means of providing for family and refrain from taking nutrition that they need;
- lack of a sense of security and love leading to much anxiety;
- eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia are more common in women than in men. What causes the development of eating disorders are (a) the bombardment by the media about the woman's figure; (b) the pressure of friends figure, clothing, appearance, and relating to the opposite sex, (c) bullying; (d) genetics; (e) anxiety; (f) lack of rules and boundaries in the family;
What should women do to take care of their mental health?
- Eat healthy;
- Sleep enough, ideally 7-8 hours a day;
- Develop better skills for raising children, relationships, discerning decisions in life, wise operating of financials of the family;
- Learn to create priorities in life;
- Remain interested in non-formal lifelong learning;
- Do physical exercise;
- Have friends who are positive who know how to respect and love and their influence is positive;
- Dedicate some quiet time for themselves and seek guidance for spiritual development and meditation;
- Read self-help books;
What should entities offer?
- Early childhood education and lifelong learning on mental health.
- Education on how to build and maintain relationships in life, including the importance of boundaries in relationships.
- Education on how to raise children and run a household. Incentives that work for vulnerable women and who are at risk of abuse.
- Child care centers to open early so that working women can accept employment which begins early in the morning; if not, employment opportunities for women are minimal. We must remember that not all grandparents are willing to bear responsibility to care for their grandchildren. Well, this is not always an option if the family of the mother is a chaotic one.
- Respite from big pressure for single mothers.
- Clubs for mothers where they can meet and talk to avoid feeling alone and strangled with pressures of life. There they can share about what they are learning even from what they see on radio and television. They can be encouraged to follow any informal courses.
- Flexitime on the job for single parents.
by Nora Macelli
All over the world, women face injustices and inequality, both in terms of human rights, as well as economically. 70% of the poor in the world are women. Their health is the first victim.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), deaths among mothers hardly decreased from 1990 to date. As far as mental illness, the researches show that it affects women and men differently. Women are 40% more prone to mental illness. Also according to WHO, 1 in 3 women in the world, at some point in their lives, suffer from symptoms of depression. The schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder are equally common among men and women; Only these occur later in life in women . Some known disorders are more common among women than in men and some of the symptoms also vary.
In life, women find themselves in very difficult situations which easily affect their mental health. Shifting in hormones make women a pendulum of moods. The WHO says that women live longer than men and that there are more women who suffer from Dementia. Some studies also say that there are more women than men suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The women suffering abuse is one of the main reasons. Abuse on women includes rape, incest, assault and physical violence and psychological and emotional cruelty. In life, the woman is more anxious than man because most rely on liabilities. Moreover, the phenomenon of single mothers render women in a position where the woman has to provide everything for the family. In many cases the father is not present in the lives of his children and does not contribute to the maintenance. Unless she receives help from her parents, the mother alone ends doing everything for her children. There are many women who can not afford to bear this burden alone and end up in an abusive relationships because they feel they do not have a choice.
There are many factors that cause mental disorders in women. These include:
- genetics;
- coming from a family where life and home environment is very chaotic. It is recognized that there is a chance that the girls from such families develop borderline personality disorder. The boys from such families tend to develop addiction, narcissistic personality disorder and sociopathy;
- nutritional deficiency that causes anemia; and this causes depression. There is a tendency of women with few means of providing for family and refrain from taking nutrition that they need;
- lack of a sense of security and love leading to much anxiety;
- eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia are more common in women than in men. What causes the development of eating disorders are (a) the bombardment by the media about the woman's figure; (b) the pressure of friends figure, clothing, appearance, and relating to the opposite sex, (c) bullying; (d) genetics; (e) anxiety; (f) lack of rules and boundaries in the family;
What should women do to take care of their mental health?
- Eat healthy;
- Sleep enough, ideally 7-8 hours a day;
- Develop better skills for raising children, relationships, discerning decisions in life, wise operating of financials of the family;
- Learn to create priorities in life;
- Remain interested in non-formal lifelong learning;
- Do physical exercise;
- Have friends who are positive who know how to respect and love and their influence is positive;
- Dedicate some quiet time for themselves and seek guidance for spiritual development and meditation;
- Read self-help books;
What should entities offer?
- Early childhood education and lifelong learning on mental health.
- Education on how to build and maintain relationships in life, including the importance of boundaries in relationships.
- Education on how to raise children and run a household. Incentives that work for vulnerable women and who are at risk of abuse.
- Child care centers to open early so that working women can accept employment which begins early in the morning; if not, employment opportunities for women are minimal. We must remember that not all grandparents are willing to bear responsibility to care for their grandchildren. Well, this is not always an option if the family of the mother is a chaotic one.
- Respite from big pressure for single mothers.
- Clubs for mothers where they can meet and talk to avoid feeling alone and strangled with pressures of life. There they can share about what they are learning even from what they see on radio and television. They can be encouraged to follow any informal courses.
- Flexitime on the job for single parents.
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
by Connie Magro, Service Lwien
Borderline Personality Disorder The (BPD) is a disorder that greatly affects the mood of people who suffer from it and therefore endure relationships with others. The BPD is the most common personality disorder.
Foremost, it is the mental health professionals who have training in BPD who can say whether a person has BDP or. Those who are Non-qualified mental health can not seize and justify someone as having BPD. We remind ourselves that labeling someone can be harmful. And if a person is diagnosed of BPD, no one should be impudent towards them or make fun of or judge their behavior. It is not their fault tfor having BPD. And to behave in a way instead of a proper behavior, confuses the affected person.
The BPD is a prolonged serious and complex problem of mental health. It is seen more in the impulsiveness and the turbulent relationship of that person. The condition itself causes great difficulties in the way that person manages and controls their impulses. People with BPD live with continuous emotional pain. Their efforts to cope with the pain cause the symptoms mentioned.
What are some of the symptoms of BPD?
The types and severity of symptoms vary from one person to another because humans are predisposed to different conditions and their experiences vary. Apart from this, the symptoms change over time. BPD is associated with five groups of symptoms:
Here are some examples of BPD symptoms:
- short but intense episodes of anger, depression and anxiety;
- paranoid thoughts and mental state where the mind or psyche blocks thoughts and feelings of sadness;
- a sense of a large void coming from the fact that the person is feeling too alone and that their emotional needs can never be fulfilled;
- their self image may change at an instant, depending with whom they are with;
- dangerous impulsive behavior like taking drugs, binge eating, gambling or risky sexual behavior;
- the person hurts themselves without causing suicide: cutting parts of their body with a blade; cigarette burns and any substance overdose. Doing so to cover the very strong emotional pain they are feeling. This behavior begins in early adolescence. 75% of people with BPD hurt themselves this way once or twice in their lives. About 10% of people with BPD manage to commit suicide;
- when not in the presence of family, friends or a therapist they feel struck and overwhelmed with fear of being alone and abandoned. This happens because they are reluctant to feel emotionally connected with someone who is not near;
- impulsive behavior and emotional eruptions that leads to others preventing the person with BPD. This creates a habit and the person continues to feel left out and discarded by others;
- artificial relationships because the person's attitude with BPD towards others changes from night to day - first they put people on a pedestal, worshiping and praising them, and suddenly they push them away and are strongly enraged with them.
What causes this disorder?
Like many other mental illnesses, scientists do not understand exactly what causes this disorder. Some researches show that genetics are involved - meaning BPD can be inherited. There is also the effect of a hostile environment in the family, childhood abuse, neglect by parents (perhaps in relation to children's emotions) in growing up, and separation from those who raise them. Some research also indicates that BPD may arise when parts of the brain that regulate emotions and aggressive impulses are not functioning properly.
There is a therapy called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or DBT to help people with BPD to change their negative behavior by learning to be more aware - attentive of what they feel and the reactions they are having now and then.
How should I effectively react to people with BPD?
People with BPD might insult you or accuse you with things you have not done. We should avoid at all costs to defend ourselves and going into arguments with them. We must remember that we realize and b'BPD jisiieltu people to understand the position of others. Nor are they able to distinguish between minor and serious something else. So when you start defending yourself against insults and lies about you, the person with BPD interpret the situation as "he/she is not treating me as a valuable person." Listen to the person with BPD well FREE to stay isemmilha inconsistencies in're tells. Tfettaqhiex it and get you. If the person feels comfortable finding someone with whom to talk, the situation is likely to worsen. However, if creating a conflict that continues to grow so that people start shouting and theddek, seek let go from there and continue the conversation only when she eased.
X’għandek tagħmel meta l-persuna thedded li se tweġġa’ lilha nnifisha?
Mhux dejjem se jkun faċli li tagħraf sinjali li l-persuna bil-BPD qed tippjana li tweġġa’ lilha nnifisha – bħal meta il-persuna tħokk il-ġilda, tiekol anqas, tqaxxar xaharha, jew toqgħod għaliha weħidha. Imġieba bħal din forsi turi li l-persuna bil-BPD qed issibha diffiċli li tesprimi ruħha verbalment. Jekk nitgħallmu nagħrfu sinjali bikrin inkunu f’qagħda aħjar li nevitaw kriżijiet emozzjonali milli jsiru tant agħar li jirrikjedu attenzjoni medika jew psikjatrika. Allura stieden lill-persuna titkellem dwar l-emozzjonijiet tagħha ħalli jkollok ħin tikkalkula jekk jidhirx li hemmx bżonn għajnuna professjonali.
Is-Smigħ huwa forma ta’ terapija
Li tkun taf tisma’ sew u tirrifletti għandhom iservu bħala l-aqwa forma ta’ komunikazzjoni ma’ persuna bil-BPD. Għalkemm għandek mnejn ma taqbilx ma’ kull kelma li tgħid il-persuna l-oħra, ftakar li l-fatt li qed tismagħha sew ma jfissirx li qed taqbel magħha. Tfisser biss li inti qed tirrikonoxxi l-emozzjonijiet u l-mod kif l-oħra taħsibha.
Ħudha bis-serjetà meta l-persuna bil-BPD thedded li se toqtol ruħha b’idejha. Anke jekk inti tinduna li dan it-theddid huwa biss mod kif il-persuna qed tfittex l-attenzjoni tiegħek jew ta’ ħaddieħor, dak li tagħmel jista’ jwassal f’inċident serju jew mewt. Fittex l-għajnuna. Biss, iċċempilx il-112 kull darba għax inkella tgħaddilha l-messaġġ li huma għandhom poter kbir fuq kull min imerihom u jargumenta magħhom.
Iż-żmien ittaffi s-sintomi
Aktar mal-persuna tikber fiż-żmien, aktar mas-sintomi jittaffew. Tinduna għax jonqsu t-theddid li se tweġġa’ lilha nnifisha u l-episodji ta żbruffar emozzjonali jonqos. Jonqsu wkoll ir-reazzjonijiet intensi u aggressivi. Forsi jerġgħu għall-agħar għal ftit, iżda il-kriżijiet jirrisolvu ruħhom aktar malajr. Aktar ma’ inti issir kapaċi tkampa mas-sitwazzjonijiet li jinħolqu, il-persuna bil-BPD tibda tħossha aktar kunfidenti li timxi ‘l quddiem f’ħajjitha. Jekk inti tieħu ħsieb persuna bil-PBD jew imsieħeb magħha, fittex sib għajnuna għalik innifsek ħalli ma titfarrakx. Ftakar li m’għandekx tkun int biss li tikkomunika b’mod kalm fi kriżi. Tajjeb li jkun hemm persuni oħra f’ħajjitha li ma jabbandunawhiex u li tgħallmu jikkomunikaw u jirrelataw magħha għax b’hekk hemm iċ-ċans li l-kriżijiet ma jiżbruffawx kif ġieb u laħaq.
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by Connie Magro, Service Lwien
Borderline Personality Disorder The (BPD) is a disorder that greatly affects the mood of people who suffer from it and therefore endure relationships with others. The BPD is the most common personality disorder.
Foremost, it is the mental health professionals who have training in BPD who can say whether a person has BDP or. Those who are Non-qualified mental health can not seize and justify someone as having BPD. We remind ourselves that labeling someone can be harmful. And if a person is diagnosed of BPD, no one should be impudent towards them or make fun of or judge their behavior. It is not their fault tfor having BPD. And to behave in a way instead of a proper behavior, confuses the affected person.
The BPD is a prolonged serious and complex problem of mental health. It is seen more in the impulsiveness and the turbulent relationship of that person. The condition itself causes great difficulties in the way that person manages and controls their impulses. People with BPD live with continuous emotional pain. Their efforts to cope with the pain cause the symptoms mentioned.
What are some of the symptoms of BPD?
The types and severity of symptoms vary from one person to another because humans are predisposed to different conditions and their experiences vary. Apart from this, the symptoms change over time. BPD is associated with five groups of symptoms:
- unstable behavior;
- unstable emotions;
- unstable relationships;
- unstable identity;
- problems related to how much the person is conscious or not on their emerging problems through their own turbulent behavior.
Here are some examples of BPD symptoms:
- short but intense episodes of anger, depression and anxiety;
- paranoid thoughts and mental state where the mind or psyche blocks thoughts and feelings of sadness;
- a sense of a large void coming from the fact that the person is feeling too alone and that their emotional needs can never be fulfilled;
- their self image may change at an instant, depending with whom they are with;
- dangerous impulsive behavior like taking drugs, binge eating, gambling or risky sexual behavior;
- the person hurts themselves without causing suicide: cutting parts of their body with a blade; cigarette burns and any substance overdose. Doing so to cover the very strong emotional pain they are feeling. This behavior begins in early adolescence. 75% of people with BPD hurt themselves this way once or twice in their lives. About 10% of people with BPD manage to commit suicide;
- when not in the presence of family, friends or a therapist they feel struck and overwhelmed with fear of being alone and abandoned. This happens because they are reluctant to feel emotionally connected with someone who is not near;
- impulsive behavior and emotional eruptions that leads to others preventing the person with BPD. This creates a habit and the person continues to feel left out and discarded by others;
- artificial relationships because the person's attitude with BPD towards others changes from night to day - first they put people on a pedestal, worshiping and praising them, and suddenly they push them away and are strongly enraged with them.
What causes this disorder?
Like many other mental illnesses, scientists do not understand exactly what causes this disorder. Some researches show that genetics are involved - meaning BPD can be inherited. There is also the effect of a hostile environment in the family, childhood abuse, neglect by parents (perhaps in relation to children's emotions) in growing up, and separation from those who raise them. Some research also indicates that BPD may arise when parts of the brain that regulate emotions and aggressive impulses are not functioning properly.
There is a therapy called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or DBT to help people with BPD to change their negative behavior by learning to be more aware - attentive of what they feel and the reactions they are having now and then.
How should I effectively react to people with BPD?
People with BPD might insult you or accuse you with things you have not done. We should avoid at all costs to defend ourselves and going into arguments with them. We must remember that we realize and b'BPD jisiieltu people to understand the position of others. Nor are they able to distinguish between minor and serious something else. So when you start defending yourself against insults and lies about you, the person with BPD interpret the situation as "he/she is not treating me as a valuable person." Listen to the person with BPD well FREE to stay isemmilha inconsistencies in're tells. Tfettaqhiex it and get you. If the person feels comfortable finding someone with whom to talk, the situation is likely to worsen. However, if creating a conflict that continues to grow so that people start shouting and theddek, seek let go from there and continue the conversation only when she eased.
X’għandek tagħmel meta l-persuna thedded li se tweġġa’ lilha nnifisha?
Mhux dejjem se jkun faċli li tagħraf sinjali li l-persuna bil-BPD qed tippjana li tweġġa’ lilha nnifisha – bħal meta il-persuna tħokk il-ġilda, tiekol anqas, tqaxxar xaharha, jew toqgħod għaliha weħidha. Imġieba bħal din forsi turi li l-persuna bil-BPD qed issibha diffiċli li tesprimi ruħha verbalment. Jekk nitgħallmu nagħrfu sinjali bikrin inkunu f’qagħda aħjar li nevitaw kriżijiet emozzjonali milli jsiru tant agħar li jirrikjedu attenzjoni medika jew psikjatrika. Allura stieden lill-persuna titkellem dwar l-emozzjonijiet tagħha ħalli jkollok ħin tikkalkula jekk jidhirx li hemmx bżonn għajnuna professjonali.
Is-Smigħ huwa forma ta’ terapija
Li tkun taf tisma’ sew u tirrifletti għandhom iservu bħala l-aqwa forma ta’ komunikazzjoni ma’ persuna bil-BPD. Għalkemm għandek mnejn ma taqbilx ma’ kull kelma li tgħid il-persuna l-oħra, ftakar li l-fatt li qed tismagħha sew ma jfissirx li qed taqbel magħha. Tfisser biss li inti qed tirrikonoxxi l-emozzjonijiet u l-mod kif l-oħra taħsibha.
Ħudha bis-serjetà meta l-persuna bil-BPD thedded li se toqtol ruħha b’idejha. Anke jekk inti tinduna li dan it-theddid huwa biss mod kif il-persuna qed tfittex l-attenzjoni tiegħek jew ta’ ħaddieħor, dak li tagħmel jista’ jwassal f’inċident serju jew mewt. Fittex l-għajnuna. Biss, iċċempilx il-112 kull darba għax inkella tgħaddilha l-messaġġ li huma għandhom poter kbir fuq kull min imerihom u jargumenta magħhom.
Iż-żmien ittaffi s-sintomi
Aktar mal-persuna tikber fiż-żmien, aktar mas-sintomi jittaffew. Tinduna għax jonqsu t-theddid li se tweġġa’ lilha nnifisha u l-episodji ta żbruffar emozzjonali jonqos. Jonqsu wkoll ir-reazzjonijiet intensi u aggressivi. Forsi jerġgħu għall-agħar għal ftit, iżda il-kriżijiet jirrisolvu ruħhom aktar malajr. Aktar ma’ inti issir kapaċi tkampa mas-sitwazzjonijiet li jinħolqu, il-persuna bil-BPD tibda tħossha aktar kunfidenti li timxi ‘l quddiem f’ħajjitha. Jekk inti tieħu ħsieb persuna bil-PBD jew imsieħeb magħha, fittex sib għajnuna għalik innifsek ħalli ma titfarrakx. Ftakar li m’għandekx tkun int biss li tikkomunika b’mod kalm fi kriżi. Tajjeb li jkun hemm persuni oħra f’ħajjitha li ma jabbandunawhiex u li tgħallmu jikkomunikaw u jirrelataw magħha għax b’hekk hemm iċ-ċans li l-kriżijiet ma jiżbruffawx kif ġieb u laħaq.
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bdoti fil-maltemp
Bdoti fil-Maltemp - KIF TIEĦU ĦSIEB QARIB B'MARD MENTALI
Edituri: Nora Macelli u Connie Magro
Dan il-ktieb hu frott ta’ ħidma mill-qrib ma’ mijiet ta’ qraba-carers li ġejna f’kuntatt magħhom fil-ħidma ta’ kuljum tagħna fil-Fondazzjoni St Jeanne Antide.
Qraba-carers huma dawk il-membri tal-familja li jerfgħu r-responsabiltà kbira li jikkuraw qarib għażiż marid b’mard mentali b’għożża bla ma jfittxu ħlas u unuri. Jieħdu ħsieb qaribhom marid b’paċenzja, b’umiltà, b’imħabba, b’sens ta’ dover u b’ħafna sagrifiċċji. Jagħmlu minn kollox biex jagħtu lil qaribhom ankra fis-soċjetà. Ta’ spiss huma l-uniċi ħbieb li jibqagħlu l-qarib marid meta kulħadd ikun warrab minn ħajtu.
Il-qraba huma dawk li meta jsibu ruħhom fi dlam ċappa, ma joqogħdux jisħtu d-dlam imma jixegħlu torċ. Huma dawk li mil-lumi jagħmlu l-luminata. Għalkemm jistħoqqilhom kull unur, għad hawn min iqis li huma l-kaġun tal-marda. Billi l-kura tal-mard mentali qed tingħata fil-komunità, u billi l-familja qed terfa’ l-piż tal-kura fi ħdanha stess, ħassejna l-bżonn li nkomplu noffru tagħrif li jgħin lill-qraba jitgħallmu aktar dwar kif jieħdu ħsieb qaribhom marid b’mard mentali.
Dan huwa t-tieni ktieb maħruġ bi sħab bejn is-St Jeanne Antide Foundation u l-Mental Health Association, żewġ għaqdiet li jħabirku biex ikomplu jgħinu lill-qraba jkomplu jerfgħu r-responsabiltà kbira li qed jerfgħu b’inqas tbatija u b’aktar għerf.
Kull kapitlu jittratta marda mentali differenti u jipprovdi suġġerimenti prattiċi fuq kif jistgħu jkomplu joffru mħabba u kura bla ma jaqtgħu qalbhom u bla ma jitfarrku u jieqfu għax ikunu qatgħu qalbhom. Għażilna li niffukaw fuq il-mard mentali li l-aktar li niltaqgħu miegħu fix-xogħol tagħna fil-komunità.
Dan il-ktieb jista’ jkun utli wkoll għal dawk kollha li jafu lil xi ħadd li jbati minn mard mentali - jew kollegi fuq il-post tax-xogħol, jew ġirien jew xi ħbieb. Jinteressa wkoll lil professjonisti f’oqsma tas-social work, tal-psikoloġija, tall-counselling, tal-liġi, tan-nursing, u tal-mediċina u lil kill min qed jistudja u jinteressah il-qasam tas-saħħa mentali. Huwa faċli ħafna li kull wieħed minna jiltaqa’ ma’ persuni li jbatu minn mard mentali. Fil-fatt, il-World Health Organisation (WHO) tgħid li l-mard mentali hu aktar komuni mill-kanċer, mill-mard tal-qalb u mid-dijabete f’daqqa.
Il-bdoti jafu jidderieġu. Fil-maltemp, għandhom ħafna mezzi ta’ kif jiksbu għajnuna ħalli jsalpaw b’mod li jaslu qawwijin u sħaħ. Il-qraba li jieħdu ħsieb membru għażiż ta’ familthom b’mard mentali wkoll għandhom bżonn jilqgħu ruħhom għall-maltemp. B’din l-għodda, jeħfief it-toqol għax tgħinhom jagħmlu dak li qed jagħmlu b’imħabba u fejda waqt li jibqgħu b’saħħithom. Tul is-snin, mijiet ta’ qraba-carers ibbenefikaw mis-Servizz Lwien tal-Fondazzjoni St Jeanne Adtide. Bejn 33% u 48% fis-sena tal-familji li ta’ kull sena jirrikorru għand il-Fondazzjoni għall-għajnuna professjonali għandhom qarib li jsofri minn mard mentali. Dan il-ktieb hu għodda għalihom, speċjalment għal dawk li jippreferu jaqraw bil-Malti.
X’jgħidulna l-qarrejja ta’ Bdoti fil-Maltemp dwar il-ktieb wara li qrawh?
"I really appreciate this book. For our family, it is like a manual that gives us a good overview of common mental illnesses. I read it and know that I will consult it many more times. Every Maltese family should have a copy even for general knowledge and to understand others who may be suffering from a mental illness. Thank you for this book. We need such information in Maltese." (William)
"Dan il-ktieb mhawnx ieħor bħalu bil-Malti. Għalina li ma naqrawx bl-Ingliż u għandna bżonn naqraw fuq il-mard mentali li laqat lill-familja tagħna, almenu għandna dan il-ktieb u l-ieħor li ħriġtu wkoll intom stess - Il-Kwiekeb fid-Dlam Jixegħlu. Grazzi talli taħsbu tant fina l-qraba ta' min isofri minn mard mentali. Li ma kienx għas-servizz Lwien tagħkom il-Fondazzjoni, m'għandniex fejn immorru għall-għajnuna daqshekk intensa u apprezzata minna." (Paul)
"Qrajtu kollu f'darba. Ma stajtx nieqaf naqrah għax sibt tagħrif li veru kelli bżonn. Weġibli l-ħafna mistoqsijiet li kelli u li jinqalgħuli ta' sikwit. Grazzi ħafna u proset. J'Alla jaqrawh ħafna u ħafna nies għax naħseb li kull familja xi darba jew oħra tintlaqat minn xi marda mentali jew oħra." (Rita)
"Intom veru tifhmu minn xiex ngħaddu aħna li nieħdu ħsieb membru tal-familja b'mard mentali. Ħafna drabi, lanqas qrabatna stess ma jifhmuna. Għalhekk nispiċċaw ma nitkellmu ma’ ħadd għax aħjar hekk milli naffaċċjaw nies li jħarsu lejna b'ġudizzju. Il-partijiet tal-ktieb li jitrattaw minn xiex ngħaddu aħna l-qraba nista' ngħid li qishom inkitbu minna stess. Proset ħafna tal-ktieb mitqlu deheb." (Johnny)
"Grazzi tas-servizzi li toffrulna lilna l-familjari ta' min isofri minn mard mentali. Veru nħossuna nħlissna minn mażżra għax it-toqol tagħna hu kbir. Imnella hawn intom fuq min induru regolarment. Grazzi ta' dan il-ktieb li jkompli jgħinna ngħixu ħajjitna b'aktar għerf u tama." (Anna)
Edituri: Nora Macelli u Connie Magro
Dan il-ktieb hu frott ta’ ħidma mill-qrib ma’ mijiet ta’ qraba-carers li ġejna f’kuntatt magħhom fil-ħidma ta’ kuljum tagħna fil-Fondazzjoni St Jeanne Antide.
Qraba-carers huma dawk il-membri tal-familja li jerfgħu r-responsabiltà kbira li jikkuraw qarib għażiż marid b’mard mentali b’għożża bla ma jfittxu ħlas u unuri. Jieħdu ħsieb qaribhom marid b’paċenzja, b’umiltà, b’imħabba, b’sens ta’ dover u b’ħafna sagrifiċċji. Jagħmlu minn kollox biex jagħtu lil qaribhom ankra fis-soċjetà. Ta’ spiss huma l-uniċi ħbieb li jibqagħlu l-qarib marid meta kulħadd ikun warrab minn ħajtu.
Il-qraba huma dawk li meta jsibu ruħhom fi dlam ċappa, ma joqogħdux jisħtu d-dlam imma jixegħlu torċ. Huma dawk li mil-lumi jagħmlu l-luminata. Għalkemm jistħoqqilhom kull unur, għad hawn min iqis li huma l-kaġun tal-marda. Billi l-kura tal-mard mentali qed tingħata fil-komunità, u billi l-familja qed terfa’ l-piż tal-kura fi ħdanha stess, ħassejna l-bżonn li nkomplu noffru tagħrif li jgħin lill-qraba jitgħallmu aktar dwar kif jieħdu ħsieb qaribhom marid b’mard mentali.
Dan huwa t-tieni ktieb maħruġ bi sħab bejn is-St Jeanne Antide Foundation u l-Mental Health Association, żewġ għaqdiet li jħabirku biex ikomplu jgħinu lill-qraba jkomplu jerfgħu r-responsabiltà kbira li qed jerfgħu b’inqas tbatija u b’aktar għerf.
Kull kapitlu jittratta marda mentali differenti u jipprovdi suġġerimenti prattiċi fuq kif jistgħu jkomplu joffru mħabba u kura bla ma jaqtgħu qalbhom u bla ma jitfarrku u jieqfu għax ikunu qatgħu qalbhom. Għażilna li niffukaw fuq il-mard mentali li l-aktar li niltaqgħu miegħu fix-xogħol tagħna fil-komunità.
Dan il-ktieb jista’ jkun utli wkoll għal dawk kollha li jafu lil xi ħadd li jbati minn mard mentali - jew kollegi fuq il-post tax-xogħol, jew ġirien jew xi ħbieb. Jinteressa wkoll lil professjonisti f’oqsma tas-social work, tal-psikoloġija, tall-counselling, tal-liġi, tan-nursing, u tal-mediċina u lil kill min qed jistudja u jinteressah il-qasam tas-saħħa mentali. Huwa faċli ħafna li kull wieħed minna jiltaqa’ ma’ persuni li jbatu minn mard mentali. Fil-fatt, il-World Health Organisation (WHO) tgħid li l-mard mentali hu aktar komuni mill-kanċer, mill-mard tal-qalb u mid-dijabete f’daqqa.
Il-bdoti jafu jidderieġu. Fil-maltemp, għandhom ħafna mezzi ta’ kif jiksbu għajnuna ħalli jsalpaw b’mod li jaslu qawwijin u sħaħ. Il-qraba li jieħdu ħsieb membru għażiż ta’ familthom b’mard mentali wkoll għandhom bżonn jilqgħu ruħhom għall-maltemp. B’din l-għodda, jeħfief it-toqol għax tgħinhom jagħmlu dak li qed jagħmlu b’imħabba u fejda waqt li jibqgħu b’saħħithom. Tul is-snin, mijiet ta’ qraba-carers ibbenefikaw mis-Servizz Lwien tal-Fondazzjoni St Jeanne Adtide. Bejn 33% u 48% fis-sena tal-familji li ta’ kull sena jirrikorru għand il-Fondazzjoni għall-għajnuna professjonali għandhom qarib li jsofri minn mard mentali. Dan il-ktieb hu għodda għalihom, speċjalment għal dawk li jippreferu jaqraw bil-Malti.
X’jgħidulna l-qarrejja ta’ Bdoti fil-Maltemp dwar il-ktieb wara li qrawh?
"I really appreciate this book. For our family, it is like a manual that gives us a good overview of common mental illnesses. I read it and know that I will consult it many more times. Every Maltese family should have a copy even for general knowledge and to understand others who may be suffering from a mental illness. Thank you for this book. We need such information in Maltese." (William)
"Dan il-ktieb mhawnx ieħor bħalu bil-Malti. Għalina li ma naqrawx bl-Ingliż u għandna bżonn naqraw fuq il-mard mentali li laqat lill-familja tagħna, almenu għandna dan il-ktieb u l-ieħor li ħriġtu wkoll intom stess - Il-Kwiekeb fid-Dlam Jixegħlu. Grazzi talli taħsbu tant fina l-qraba ta' min isofri minn mard mentali. Li ma kienx għas-servizz Lwien tagħkom il-Fondazzjoni, m'għandniex fejn immorru għall-għajnuna daqshekk intensa u apprezzata minna." (Paul)
"Qrajtu kollu f'darba. Ma stajtx nieqaf naqrah għax sibt tagħrif li veru kelli bżonn. Weġibli l-ħafna mistoqsijiet li kelli u li jinqalgħuli ta' sikwit. Grazzi ħafna u proset. J'Alla jaqrawh ħafna u ħafna nies għax naħseb li kull familja xi darba jew oħra tintlaqat minn xi marda mentali jew oħra." (Rita)
"Intom veru tifhmu minn xiex ngħaddu aħna li nieħdu ħsieb membru tal-familja b'mard mentali. Ħafna drabi, lanqas qrabatna stess ma jifhmuna. Għalhekk nispiċċaw ma nitkellmu ma’ ħadd għax aħjar hekk milli naffaċċjaw nies li jħarsu lejna b'ġudizzju. Il-partijiet tal-ktieb li jitrattaw minn xiex ngħaddu aħna l-qraba nista' ngħid li qishom inkitbu minna stess. Proset ħafna tal-ktieb mitqlu deheb." (Johnny)
"Grazzi tas-servizzi li toffrulna lilna l-familjari ta' min isofri minn mard mentali. Veru nħossuna nħlissna minn mażżra għax it-toqol tagħna hu kbir. Imnella hawn intom fuq min induru regolarment. Grazzi ta' dan il-ktieb li jkompli jgħinna ngħixu ħajjitna b'aktar għerf u tama." (Anna)
BDOTI FIL-MALTEMP - KIF TIEĦU ĦSIEB QARIB B'MARD MENTALI
Ktieb maħruġ bi sħab bejn is-St Jeanne Antide Foundation w il-Mental Health Association, kopja tista tinkiseb mill-Fondazzjoni St Jeanne Antide, Tarxien għal donazzjoni ta €5.
Għan tal-ktieb:
Il-bdoti jafu jidderieġu. Fil-maltemp, għandhom ħafna mezzi ta’ kif jiksbu għajnuna ħalli jsalpaw b’mod li jaslu qawwijin u sħaħ. Il-qraba li jieħdu ħsieb membru għażiż ta’ familthom b’mard mentali wkoll għandhom bżonn jilqgħu ruħhom għall-maltemp. B’din l-għodda, jeħfief it-toqol għax tgħinhom jagħmlu dak li qed jagħmlu b’imħabba u fejda waqt li jibqgħu b’saħħithom.
Il-Bdoti fil-Maltemp fih 18-il taqsima mqassmin kif ġej:
- 12-il marda mentali spjegata, b’tips għall-qraba fi tmiem kull taqsima.
- Taqsima fuq il-mediċini preskritti mill-Psikjatri llum.
- Taqsima fuq ir-Relapse.
- Taqsima fuq minn xiex jgħaddu l-aħwa ta’ persuni b’mard mentali.
- 3 taqsimiet fuq kif aħna nistgħu ninħelsu mill-istigma, fuq is-sehem importanti tal-familja fil-kura, u fuq l-effetti tal-kura kostanti li joffru l-qraba u kif jistgħu jieħdu ħsieb tagħhom infushom biex ma jikkrollawx huma wkoll u biex ma tikkrollax il-familja.
Edituri: Nora Macelli u Connie Magro , Fondi: mill-iSTRINA 2012/MCCF
Data tal-ħruġ: Mejju 2015, Paġni: 134
Illustratur tal-qoxra: Marisa Attard
ISBN: 978-99957-0-677-7
Ktieb maħruġ bi sħab bejn is-St Jeanne Antide Foundation w il-Mental Health Association, kopja tista tinkiseb mill-Fondazzjoni St Jeanne Antide, Tarxien għal donazzjoni ta €5.
Għan tal-ktieb:
Il-bdoti jafu jidderieġu. Fil-maltemp, għandhom ħafna mezzi ta’ kif jiksbu għajnuna ħalli jsalpaw b’mod li jaslu qawwijin u sħaħ. Il-qraba li jieħdu ħsieb membru għażiż ta’ familthom b’mard mentali wkoll għandhom bżonn jilqgħu ruħhom għall-maltemp. B’din l-għodda, jeħfief it-toqol għax tgħinhom jagħmlu dak li qed jagħmlu b’imħabba u fejda waqt li jibqgħu b’saħħithom.
Il-Bdoti fil-Maltemp fih 18-il taqsima mqassmin kif ġej:
- 12-il marda mentali spjegata, b’tips għall-qraba fi tmiem kull taqsima.
- Taqsima fuq il-mediċini preskritti mill-Psikjatri llum.
- Taqsima fuq ir-Relapse.
- Taqsima fuq minn xiex jgħaddu l-aħwa ta’ persuni b’mard mentali.
- 3 taqsimiet fuq kif aħna nistgħu ninħelsu mill-istigma, fuq is-sehem importanti tal-familja fil-kura, u fuq l-effetti tal-kura kostanti li joffru l-qraba u kif jistgħu jieħdu ħsieb tagħhom infushom biex ma jikkrollawx huma wkoll u biex ma tikkrollax il-familja.
Edituri: Nora Macelli u Connie Magro , Fondi: mill-iSTRINA 2012/MCCF
Data tal-ħruġ: Mejju 2015, Paġni: 134
Illustratur tal-qoxra: Marisa Attard
ISBN: 978-99957-0-677-7
il-Fobija
IL-FOBIJA
Connie Magro, Servizz Lwien
Il-fobija hija biża’ eżaġerata minn xi sitwazzjonijiet jew oġġetti. Għalkemm il-biżgħat, minnhom innifishom, ftit li xejn jippreżentaw perikli għall-individwu, huma joħolqu ħafna anzjetà lill-persuna. Tant li l-persuna ma tibqax iġġib ruħha b’mod normali fuq il-post tax-xogħol, fl-iskola u fil-komunità. Mal-ewwel daqqa t'għajn lejn is-sintomi tal-fobija, wieħed għandu mnejn jaħseb li hija biża' normali. Biss, sabiex wieħed jitqies li qed ibati minn fobija, il-biża’ li wieħed ikollu kun estrema.
Għalkemm persuna li ssofri minn fobija tkun konxja li l-biża' tagħha hija esaġerata, xorta waħda ssibha diffiċli ferm biex tikkontrolla l-emozzjonijiet tagħha. Is-sintomi jvarjaw - minn emozzjonijiet ta’ skumdità sa saħansitra attakki ta’ paniku. Fost sintomi oħra li jiġu kkawżati minn fobija nsibu dawk fiżiċi, bħad-diffikultà li wieħed jieħu n-nifs, il-qalb tħabbat mgħaġġla u sturdament. Il-persuna tista’ wkoll togħtor jew issir għarqana xraba.
Dawn huma l-kategoriji ta’ fobiji:
Inħarsu lejn tnejn minn dawn.
IL-FOBIJA SOĊJALI: Persuna jkollha aġitazzjoni qawwija, tistħi b’mod eżaġerat u jkollha biża' kbira meta tkun ma' nies oħra. Il-persuna li tbati minn dan it-tip ta’ fobija taħseb li l-aġir u l-bixra tagħha mhumiex xierqa meta mqabbla ma’ dawk ta’ individwi oħra. Barra minn hekk, dawk li jsofru minn dan it-tip ta’ fobija jinkwetaw ukoll li mhux ħa jkunu kapaċi la li jikkonċentraw u lanqas li jesprimu lilhom infushom. Għaldaqstant, il-livell ta’ ansjetà f’dawn l-individwi jiżdied. Ċerti fobiji soċjali huma assoċjati ma’ attivitajiet li l-individwu jkollu jagħmel fil-pubbliku. Tant hu hekk li hemm każi fejn jekk l-istess attività ma ssirx fil-pubbliku, l-individwu ma jkollu l-ebda tip ta’ diffikultà.
Sitwazzjonijiet oħra jistgħu jqanqlu ansjetà fil-persuna – bħal per eżempju meta l-individwu jkollu bżonn jitkellem jew jidher quddiem il-pubbliku u meta jkun mistieden għal xi attività soċjali fejn ikollu bżonn jintegra u jiekol ma’ oħrajn. Il-persuna tibda temmen li l-imġieba tagħha mhix dik mistennija minn ħaddieħor u allura tibda tħossha imbarazzata u umiljata.
Hemm tendenza li dawn il-persuni jkunu jistħu, imma tajjeb li ninnutaw li hemm differenza bejn mistħija u fobija soċjali. Ġeneralment, persuna li tbati minn fobija soċjali għandha t-tendenza li ma tattendix attivitajiet soċjali filwaqt li individwi li jistħu ma jkollhomx din id-diffikultà.
L-AGORAFOBIJA: Din hija fobija komuni. Persuna b’dan it-tip ta’ fobija tibża’ li tkun f’postijiet pubbliċi, fil-miftuħ. Il-persuna jkollha r-riskju li jaqbadha attakk ta’ paniku quddiem folol fil-beraħ – speċjalment jekk ikunilha diffiċli li toħroġ mill-post malajr malajr. Għaldaqstant, persuna li tbati minn dan it-tip ta’ fobija tevita postijiet pubbliċi fejn ikun hemm rassa ta’ nies; tevita t-trasport pubbliku, il-ħwienet u s-supermarkets, ajruporti, u anke postijiet fejn ikun hemm il-kju biex tinqeda bħal banek. F’postijiet bħal dawn tant ma jħossuhomx siguri li jispiċċaw jippreferu ma joħroġux mid-dar għaliex tkun id-dar biss li toffrilhom sigurtà.
Bħala qarib, kif tista’ tgħin?
Huwa kruċjali li tikseb l-appoġġ kollu possibbli. Dan iservi ta’ ġid kemm għalik kif ukoll għall-qarib li jsofri minn fobija. Hawn xi eżempji ta’ kif tista’ tgħin aħjar.
Jekk tkunu miftiehmin li se tiltaqgħu xi mkien f’ċertu ħin, huwa importanti li tkun hemm ftit qabel, jew fil-ħin, sabiex b’hekk il-qarib ma jsirx aktar anzjuż bla bżonn. Ħalli lill-persuna tistabbilixxi hi l-pass tagħha biex tirkupra u ħeġġiġha tibqa’ miexja ’l quddiem. L-għan aħħari tiegħek huwa li tinkuraġġixxi lill-qarib jibqa’ indipendenti.
Matul iż-żmien li l-qarib ikun qed jirkupra, huwa importanti li inti tkun pożittiv u tesprimi sodisfazzjon tal-ftit passi ’l quddiem li jkun kiseb. Tmaqdrux u tikkummentax fuq l-affarijiet li ma jista’ jagħmel xejn dwarhom. Kompli agħti l-appoġġ meħtieġ waqt li tagħmel mill-aħjar biex tħallih jistinka biex jimxi fuq il-pariri tal-professjonisti li qed jikkonsulta. Ħu ħafna paċenzja u tisfurzahx.
Tajjeb li tinforma ruħek dwar il-kundizzjoni tal-qarib tiegħek. Ikun għaqli wkoll li żżomm ruħek aġġornat fuq żviluppi fit-terapiji u l-mediċini li jintużaw għal din il-kundizzjoni. Żomm kuntatt regolari mal-professjonisti involuti fil-kura. Dan ifisser li jekk tinnota xi mġiba differenti jew allarmanti fil-qarib tiegħek, ikkuntattja lit-tabib li jkun qed isegwih.
Għandek tkun taf il-limiti tiegħek u tal-familjari l-oħra. Għandkom tiddiskutu mal-qarib dawk il-biżgħat u fobiji li qed jaffettwawlu ħajtu. Huwa importanti li ma tinjorawx u tikkundannaw l-esperjenzi u s-sentimenti li l-qarib tagħkom ikun qiegħed iġarrab.
Huwa essenzjali li tikseb għajnuna professjonali dwar kif inti tista’ tesponi lill-qarib għal dik il-ħaġa jew għal dik is-sitwazzjoni li l-qarib ikun qed jibża’ minnha. Dan il-metodu jissejjaħ desensitization. Dan għandu jsir gradwalment u b’sensittività u biss bil-parir tal-professjonisti. L-għan ta’ dan il-metodu terapewtiku huwa li jnaqqas jew jelimina l-biżgħat u l-fobiji li jkunu qed itellfu lill-persuna milli tgħix ħajja normali.
Tajjeb li inti stess titgħallem metodi biex tirrilassa u li tgħallem lill-qarib jippruvahom ukoll.
Flimkien mal-qarib tiegħek, inti għandek tikklassifika il-biżgħat sabiex taħdem l-ewwelnett fuq dawk li jqanqlu l-inqas biża’. Meta l-persuna tħossha komda u ma tħosshiex aktar affettwata mill-biża’ hija tkun tista’ taħdem fuq il-biża’ li jmiss. Ikun ideali li matul dan il-proċess inti qatt ma tgħolli leħnek iżda tkun ġentili u paċenzjuża biex tassigura ħeffa fil-progress li jagħmel qaribek. Kompli tħeġġeġ l-indipendenza kull fejn ikun possibbli.
Filwaqt li tkun qed timxi pass pass mal-qarib biex jegħleb il-biżgħat waħda waħda, tajjeb li l-qarib jarak bħala persuna li jista’ joqgħod fuqha u jafda fiha; persuna li ma tagħmilx l-affarijiet bl-addoċċ u bla raġuni. Ħallu lill-qarib jiddeċiedi hu l-pass li bih irid u jista’ jimxi. Tisfurzahx jesaġera u jgħaġġel.
Tajjeb li tinkoraġġixxi lill-qarib biex ikun pożittiv matul il-mixja lejn il-fejqan. Faħħru u ħeġġu bla ma tikkritikah jew tmaqdru. Ħeġġuh kemm jista’ jkun; biss irid ikun hu li jagħmel ħiltu biex jegħleb il-ħsibijiet u l-imġiba negattiva u jiżviluppa mod ta’ ħsieb u għajxien aktar pożittiv.
Connie Magro, Servizz Lwien
Il-fobija hija biża’ eżaġerata minn xi sitwazzjonijiet jew oġġetti. Għalkemm il-biżgħat, minnhom innifishom, ftit li xejn jippreżentaw perikli għall-individwu, huma joħolqu ħafna anzjetà lill-persuna. Tant li l-persuna ma tibqax iġġib ruħha b’mod normali fuq il-post tax-xogħol, fl-iskola u fil-komunità. Mal-ewwel daqqa t'għajn lejn is-sintomi tal-fobija, wieħed għandu mnejn jaħseb li hija biża' normali. Biss, sabiex wieħed jitqies li qed ibati minn fobija, il-biża’ li wieħed ikollu kun estrema.
Għalkemm persuna li ssofri minn fobija tkun konxja li l-biża' tagħha hija esaġerata, xorta waħda ssibha diffiċli ferm biex tikkontrolla l-emozzjonijiet tagħha. Is-sintomi jvarjaw - minn emozzjonijiet ta’ skumdità sa saħansitra attakki ta’ paniku. Fost sintomi oħra li jiġu kkawżati minn fobija nsibu dawk fiżiċi, bħad-diffikultà li wieħed jieħu n-nifs, il-qalb tħabbat mgħaġġla u sturdament. Il-persuna tista’ wkoll togħtor jew issir għarqana xraba.
Dawn huma l-kategoriji ta’ fobiji:
- soċjali: sitwazzjonijiet fl-iskola, fuq ajruplan, li tkun f’post magħluq, maltempati, li tkun kostretta titkellem fil-pubbliku;
- ambjent: biża’ mis-sajjetti, ragħad, l-għoli, ilma;
- annimali: biża’ mill-klieb, żnażan, brimb, wirdien;
- sitwazzjonijiet partikolari: is-sewqan, li tkun f’kotra ta’ nies barra mid-dar, li tgħaddi minn ġo mina, li tgħaddi minn fuq pont, li tidħol f’lift, biża’ mid-demm u titqib, operazzjonijiet, rimettar u xerq.
Inħarsu lejn tnejn minn dawn.
IL-FOBIJA SOĊJALI: Persuna jkollha aġitazzjoni qawwija, tistħi b’mod eżaġerat u jkollha biża' kbira meta tkun ma' nies oħra. Il-persuna li tbati minn dan it-tip ta’ fobija taħseb li l-aġir u l-bixra tagħha mhumiex xierqa meta mqabbla ma’ dawk ta’ individwi oħra. Barra minn hekk, dawk li jsofru minn dan it-tip ta’ fobija jinkwetaw ukoll li mhux ħa jkunu kapaċi la li jikkonċentraw u lanqas li jesprimu lilhom infushom. Għaldaqstant, il-livell ta’ ansjetà f’dawn l-individwi jiżdied. Ċerti fobiji soċjali huma assoċjati ma’ attivitajiet li l-individwu jkollu jagħmel fil-pubbliku. Tant hu hekk li hemm każi fejn jekk l-istess attività ma ssirx fil-pubbliku, l-individwu ma jkollu l-ebda tip ta’ diffikultà.
Sitwazzjonijiet oħra jistgħu jqanqlu ansjetà fil-persuna – bħal per eżempju meta l-individwu jkollu bżonn jitkellem jew jidher quddiem il-pubbliku u meta jkun mistieden għal xi attività soċjali fejn ikollu bżonn jintegra u jiekol ma’ oħrajn. Il-persuna tibda temmen li l-imġieba tagħha mhix dik mistennija minn ħaddieħor u allura tibda tħossha imbarazzata u umiljata.
Hemm tendenza li dawn il-persuni jkunu jistħu, imma tajjeb li ninnutaw li hemm differenza bejn mistħija u fobija soċjali. Ġeneralment, persuna li tbati minn fobija soċjali għandha t-tendenza li ma tattendix attivitajiet soċjali filwaqt li individwi li jistħu ma jkollhomx din id-diffikultà.
L-AGORAFOBIJA: Din hija fobija komuni. Persuna b’dan it-tip ta’ fobija tibża’ li tkun f’postijiet pubbliċi, fil-miftuħ. Il-persuna jkollha r-riskju li jaqbadha attakk ta’ paniku quddiem folol fil-beraħ – speċjalment jekk ikunilha diffiċli li toħroġ mill-post malajr malajr. Għaldaqstant, persuna li tbati minn dan it-tip ta’ fobija tevita postijiet pubbliċi fejn ikun hemm rassa ta’ nies; tevita t-trasport pubbliku, il-ħwienet u s-supermarkets, ajruporti, u anke postijiet fejn ikun hemm il-kju biex tinqeda bħal banek. F’postijiet bħal dawn tant ma jħossuhomx siguri li jispiċċaw jippreferu ma joħroġux mid-dar għaliex tkun id-dar biss li toffrilhom sigurtà.
Bħala qarib, kif tista’ tgħin?
Huwa kruċjali li tikseb l-appoġġ kollu possibbli. Dan iservi ta’ ġid kemm għalik kif ukoll għall-qarib li jsofri minn fobija. Hawn xi eżempji ta’ kif tista’ tgħin aħjar.
Jekk tkunu miftiehmin li se tiltaqgħu xi mkien f’ċertu ħin, huwa importanti li tkun hemm ftit qabel, jew fil-ħin, sabiex b’hekk il-qarib ma jsirx aktar anzjuż bla bżonn. Ħalli lill-persuna tistabbilixxi hi l-pass tagħha biex tirkupra u ħeġġiġha tibqa’ miexja ’l quddiem. L-għan aħħari tiegħek huwa li tinkuraġġixxi lill-qarib jibqa’ indipendenti.
Matul iż-żmien li l-qarib ikun qed jirkupra, huwa importanti li inti tkun pożittiv u tesprimi sodisfazzjon tal-ftit passi ’l quddiem li jkun kiseb. Tmaqdrux u tikkummentax fuq l-affarijiet li ma jista’ jagħmel xejn dwarhom. Kompli agħti l-appoġġ meħtieġ waqt li tagħmel mill-aħjar biex tħallih jistinka biex jimxi fuq il-pariri tal-professjonisti li qed jikkonsulta. Ħu ħafna paċenzja u tisfurzahx.
Tajjeb li tinforma ruħek dwar il-kundizzjoni tal-qarib tiegħek. Ikun għaqli wkoll li żżomm ruħek aġġornat fuq żviluppi fit-terapiji u l-mediċini li jintużaw għal din il-kundizzjoni. Żomm kuntatt regolari mal-professjonisti involuti fil-kura. Dan ifisser li jekk tinnota xi mġiba differenti jew allarmanti fil-qarib tiegħek, ikkuntattja lit-tabib li jkun qed isegwih.
Għandek tkun taf il-limiti tiegħek u tal-familjari l-oħra. Għandkom tiddiskutu mal-qarib dawk il-biżgħat u fobiji li qed jaffettwawlu ħajtu. Huwa importanti li ma tinjorawx u tikkundannaw l-esperjenzi u s-sentimenti li l-qarib tagħkom ikun qiegħed iġarrab.
Huwa essenzjali li tikseb għajnuna professjonali dwar kif inti tista’ tesponi lill-qarib għal dik il-ħaġa jew għal dik is-sitwazzjoni li l-qarib ikun qed jibża’ minnha. Dan il-metodu jissejjaħ desensitization. Dan għandu jsir gradwalment u b’sensittività u biss bil-parir tal-professjonisti. L-għan ta’ dan il-metodu terapewtiku huwa li jnaqqas jew jelimina l-biżgħat u l-fobiji li jkunu qed itellfu lill-persuna milli tgħix ħajja normali.
Tajjeb li inti stess titgħallem metodi biex tirrilassa u li tgħallem lill-qarib jippruvahom ukoll.
Flimkien mal-qarib tiegħek, inti għandek tikklassifika il-biżgħat sabiex taħdem l-ewwelnett fuq dawk li jqanqlu l-inqas biża’. Meta l-persuna tħossha komda u ma tħosshiex aktar affettwata mill-biża’ hija tkun tista’ taħdem fuq il-biża’ li jmiss. Ikun ideali li matul dan il-proċess inti qatt ma tgħolli leħnek iżda tkun ġentili u paċenzjuża biex tassigura ħeffa fil-progress li jagħmel qaribek. Kompli tħeġġeġ l-indipendenza kull fejn ikun possibbli.
Filwaqt li tkun qed timxi pass pass mal-qarib biex jegħleb il-biżgħat waħda waħda, tajjeb li l-qarib jarak bħala persuna li jista’ joqgħod fuqha u jafda fiha; persuna li ma tagħmilx l-affarijiet bl-addoċċ u bla raġuni. Ħallu lill-qarib jiddeċiedi hu l-pass li bih irid u jista’ jimxi. Tisfurzahx jesaġera u jgħaġġel.
Tajjeb li tinkoraġġixxi lill-qarib biex ikun pożittiv matul il-mixja lejn il-fejqan. Faħħru u ħeġġu bla ma tikkritikah jew tmaqdru. Ħeġġuh kemm jista’ jkun; biss irid ikun hu li jagħmel ħiltu biex jegħleb il-ħsibijiet u l-imġiba negattiva u jiżviluppa mod ta’ ħsieb u għajxien aktar pożittiv.
IL-kwiekeb fid-dlam jixeghlu
Stories by Caregivers
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Il-Kwiekeb fid-Dlam Jixegħlu
Ktieb ta’ min tikkonsidra: Il-Kwiekeb fid-Dlam Jixegħlu – vjaġġi ta’ tama mterrqa minn qraba ta’ persuni b’mard mentali. Ippubblikat mill-Mental Health Association u s-St Jeanne Antide Foundation bħala għajnuna prattika għal family caregivers. Edituri: Connie Magro u Nora Macelli Jista jinkiseb minn Ċentru Antida u Ċentru Enrichetta għal donazzjoni ta €5 |
STARS SHINE BRIGHTLY IN THE DARK
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STARS SHINE BRIGHTLY IN THE DARK - Journey of hope by relatives of mentally ill persons
New English-language e-BOOK PUBLICATION of the Mental Health Association and the St Jeanne Antide Foundation Click here to download eBook on pdf format |
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Click to Download Document
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The prayer of relatives caring for their loved ones with mental illness
Merciful Lord, help me to understand better,
and I believe that I can do, what you want me.
Forgive me at all times, even now,
when I doubt you.
As soon as I saw the fostering ongoing work,
give me the drive to continue.
As soon as I see my dear not unfit,
give me strength.
You're used to me asking: "But why this suffering, Lord?"
Give me the wisdom to understand.
As we sometimes remember about our family before the disease,
give us moments to have a good laugh.
As I sit beside him till the medicine takes effect,
fill me with comfort.
When I feel I'm about to burst with the weight of suffering,
give me the strength not to give up.
Give me a peaceful corner,
so in it I can find you and anxiety leaves me.
Help me change from a person filled up by fatigue, sadness, anger and resentment,
to a person overflowing with love and compassion, as I really wish to be.
Keep being my constant partner Oh Lord, as I keep facing
the challenges of the responsibility to take care of the dear ill family member.
And when the time comes to quit my caring,
and is the time for me to let go,
help me remember that my dear sick is always in your hands.
Amen.
Merciful Lord, help me to understand better,
and I believe that I can do, what you want me.
Forgive me at all times, even now,
when I doubt you.
As soon as I saw the fostering ongoing work,
give me the drive to continue.
As soon as I see my dear not unfit,
give me strength.
You're used to me asking: "But why this suffering, Lord?"
Give me the wisdom to understand.
As we sometimes remember about our family before the disease,
give us moments to have a good laugh.
As I sit beside him till the medicine takes effect,
fill me with comfort.
When I feel I'm about to burst with the weight of suffering,
give me the strength not to give up.
Give me a peaceful corner,
so in it I can find you and anxiety leaves me.
Help me change from a person filled up by fatigue, sadness, anger and resentment,
to a person overflowing with love and compassion, as I really wish to be.
Keep being my constant partner Oh Lord, as I keep facing
the challenges of the responsibility to take care of the dear ill family member.
And when the time comes to quit my caring,
and is the time for me to let go,
help me remember that my dear sick is always in your hands.
Amen.