According to the National Institute on Mental Health, about 5 percent of Americans have a serious mental illness, which may include behavioral or emotional disorders. While these conditions may make it difficult for individuals to go about their daily lives, they are also taxing on relatives who must care for their mentally ill family member.
In order to make the process a little easier, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City holds Family-to-Family and Peer-to-Peer programs, the New York Daily News reports. These initiatives include 12 weeks of courses that help relatives manage life with a mentally ill family member. During the classes, participants learn about medications, various types of mental disorders and brain function.
Pamela Solomon, director of the program, told the news source that participants can also take workshops on empathy and problem-solving. These courses will show relatives how their mentally ill family members may approach certain problems and how they can be more understanding.
Eric Leventhal, who took the Family-to-Family class a decade ago, said his experience encouraged him to become a licensed clinical social worker.
"The course was a great first step in understanding the basics of mental illness and how it affects families," he told the media outlet.