Mental suffering is a shared experience.
Family and friends of people with mental health problems experience how the balance between closeness and distance, intimacy and participation in community life is lost and how people's habitual modes of relating to each other are deeply shaken. It is not only the person with mental health problems but the whole family that suffers, putting a strain on the structure of all involved relationships. The question arises as to who is to take responsibility and the sense of being able to rely on each other is severely tested. In this situation, our network of experienced family members provides support - as individuals who have had similar experiences and are familiar with the many different challenges involved.
“Family and friends” for us includes anyone related to or in a close relationship with people suffering from mental health problems. It includes anyone personally affected by others' psychological crises. This group of affected people is anything but small. According to the results of a study carried out by the Robert Koch Institut (German Health Interview and Examination Survey, DEGS, 2012), roughly 33% of the German population are affected by a mental disorder every year. Figures for the relatives and friends of people with mental health problems are correspondingly high. It has been estimated that as many as two thirds of people with chronic mental illnesses are cared for by and in their families.
Contact us to find out more about our work - we look forward to hearing from you.
Your team at ApK Berlin