Abstract
Aim:
The aim of this study was to describe strategies that parents use in managing their everyday relationship with their mentally ill son or daughter.
Background:
When a son or daughter is suffering from mental illness, the parents' life arenas become affected. To help individuals with a lack of coping strategies handle the stress that can arise in mental ill health situations, it is important to develop more knowledge about how parents handle everyday life with their son or daughter with mental illness.
Methods:
Qualitative interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with ten parents. The data were analysed through manifest content analysis.
Findings:
Three categories were found, all with subcategories: finding power in everyday life; the need for external support; and preparedness for coping.
Conclusion:
The management strategies the interviewed parents used consisted of gaining power every day by taking out moments to dispel their thoughts, and by creating both an openness in the family and the opportunity to practice leisure activities to temporarily distance themselves from the relationship with their son or daugher with mental illness. They also mentioned the need to be prepared to handle different situations that may arise. In this regard, both routines and flexibility are important management strategies for these parents. When a son/daughter is receiving treatment at a psychiatric ward, support from health professionals is important for parental management strategies.