Helping Your Sufferer Through a Crisis

Kathy · #1 12-12-2007, 12:01 PM

Here are some tips to help your sufferer through a crisis, difficult situation, when they have just returned home from hospital and so on:

1. Remove as many as many stressors as you can, for example:

keeping the noise level down in the house
placing a limit on visitors
taking messages so the sufferer need not speak to anyone unnecessarily
avoid confronting them about sensitive issues, unless absolutely necessary

2. Lower your expectations of the sufferer, for example:

allowing them to sleep in or otherwise rest and not criticize them for it
allowing them a break from chores or household duties that are usually theirs
accepting their decisions, should they not wish to leave the house, go anywhere or speak with anyone
do not criticize or berate them for being angry or upset
understanding should they wish to have a break from therapy and doctors
not pressuring them to talk about problems, before they are ready
not taking the situation personally

3. Assist them to look after themselves, for example:

making sure they take their medications, eat healthy and get enough rest
be available to talk if they wish, though not forcing the issue

4. Watch for warning signs and taking appropriate action, for example:

watching for self-harm, severe dissociation, severe depression and so on
being familiar with the signs of an impending suicide, and having a action plan for taking the sufferer to the hospital if need be

5. Do not take out your disappointment on your loved one, for example:

you may have to cancel plans and rearrange schedules; do so without blame
do not complain about having to pick up extra slack around the house
do not keep score of what slack you picked up and then bring it up constantly
do not gripe about how long it takes to get better or drop hints at the inconvenience this is causing

6. Engage your loved one in interests they enjoy, for example:

ask them what they would like to do, talk to them about their interests and assist them to enjoy themselves if they wish
do not consider stress relievers such as playing video games, chatting online and watching television a "waste of time".
if there is something fun or distracing which they wish to do, encourage and enable them to do it, and do not judge them for "overdoing it"