Empowering families affected by psychosis

1. Reduce the stressors

If you are experiencing physical health problems, you can seek medical treatment and take steps to deal with the problem.

2. Decrease the perception of stress

Changing how the situation or event is perceived can help reduce the perception of stress. For example:

If driving through traffic to attend psychoeducation family groups after work is frustrating and tiring, you can think about what is positive about the group sessions (e.g., “The groups provide me with important information on how to support my son, and meeting with other families going through the same thing as me is comforting.”).

3. Increase resources

Increasing your resources either by replacing them or by finding more internal or external resources can help reduce stress. For example:

Refresh yourself through rest, relaxation and recreation.
Take care of your health by eating well, sleeping, exercising and getting adequate medical care.
Find emotional support (e.g., someone to listen), practical support (e.g., child care) or material or financial support (e.g., money for health expenses).
Develop new skills, such as learning better ways to communicate.