Grieving Mental Illness: A Guide for Patients and Their Caregivers

This is a self-help book for anyone who has endured the effects of mental illness, whether as a sufferer, friend, family member, or care- giver. It offers detailed, jargon-free guidelines to help readers come to terms with mental illness in a positive way, while avoiding dis- abling emotional responses to illness. Sophisticated in approach and comprehensive in its treatment, this book will be useful both to health-care workers and to the general public.

Virginia Lafond's experience as a mental health practitioner has taught her that grieving is always a partner to mental illness. There are very real losses associated with any illness and grieving for them, whether the grief is recognized as such or not, is inevitable. Unacknowledged grief takes its toll, slowing or even stalling recov- ery. Using grief as a healthy, normal, adaptive process enhances recovery, allowing positive choices to be made. The result can help sufferers come to terms with their illness and prepare them for suc- cess in rehabilitation programs.

Lafond offers engaging and empathetic advice on how to move forward from the suffering associated with mental illness. By con- sciously grieving we can help bring healing and wholeness to our lives, resulting in new ways of coping, reduced stress, and greater self-esteem.

First published in 1994, this revised edition contains a new introduction and two new appendices: 'A Worker's Guide for Working with the Grief of Mental llness' and 'Mental Illness: Responses to Frequently Asked Question'.