Un-sung Samaritans in the Lives of People with Mental Illness: An Indian Experience

Abstract

Caring is a fundamental issue in the rehabilitation of a person with mental illness and more so for people with severe mental illness. The study examines the load of care giving with reference to the types of care during the symptomatic and recovery phases of mental illness and the various ways in which caregivers adapt their lives to meet the needs of  people with mental illness (PWMI).The present research draws its data from the families of 200 persons with mental illness in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in India.  The data presented in the study was collected from interviews using an interview schedule with open ended questions. The results reveal that people with mental illness require more social care during their recovery phase so as to facilitate their reintegration into mainstream society. Despite their own hardships, families by and large take on the care of their family members with mental illness as a matter of their responsibility.  The study records the incredulous gratitude of caregivers at being acknowledged for the work they do. In that re-gard, the study itself provides a boost to the morale of tired, unacknowledged caregivers.