The relationship you establish with Mental Health professionals involved with your relative is important. Giving some thought to how you deal with them can have a significant impact on the way in which they respond to you.

These suggestions may seem obvious, but in the middle of a crisis or difficult situation they are often forgotten.

Remember not to base your evaluation of a service, team or hospital on one interaction or incident. There are wide variations in competence and sensitivity. Furthermore, you may have more in common with the staff than you may think. They want what is best for your relative, even though you may not agree with them on what that is. They are just as frustrated, angered, and saddened by the mental-health situation in this country as you are. By viewing them as allies, your relationship with them will probably be much more satisfying.

To enhance your relationship with professionals and service providers:

• Be courteous. Use courtesy to your advantage as a consumer and as an advocate for your relative.
• Expect to be treated respectfully and with consideration in return.
• Provide all necessary information.
• Be respectful of their time.
• Ask how you can be involved in a supportive way.
• Request meetings, with or without your relative present, when you feel the need. In addition, you may ask for a diagnosis, treatment plan, medication information, and prognosis (though your relative’s consent may be required)
• Keep in mind the frustrations and constraints professionals face, such as:
• their inability to help patients who will not accept treatment;
• the stigma, prejudice, and ignorance regarding mental illness that they and their clients face;
• the desire of families for unrealistic results (cures);
• patients who do not improve because of our limited knowledge regarding the treatment of people with mental illness;
• the lack of adequate funding for programmes/projects, staff, and patients’ essential needs;
• laws regarding confidentiality.