Fångad i någon annans verklighet : En kvalitativ studie om anhöriga till personer med psykisk ohälsa

Sammanfattning: According to the Social Services Act relatives have a fundamental right to receive support that facilitates the care of their related. In Sweden 1,3 million people regularly nurture, support and assist a related. With their knowledge and experience the relatives therefore plays an important role in the life of the related. Previous research shows that relatives take a lot of responsibility and feel left to themselves in the care of their related (Ali, 2013). The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how relatives caring for a related with mental disorders experience their everyday lives. A qualitative approach was used and a total of four interviews were conducted with relatives between the ages of 25-35. The analysis of the results revealed three themes with six subcategories. The results were analyzed on the theoretical concepts of normality, resilience, coping and the theories stigma and identity along with previous research. The results show that relatives of people with mental illness early realized that the related parties state in relation to other adults were different. While some relatives had a fear of becoming infected with the same mental illness as their related, the other experienced that they were labeled as diseased only by association. Relatives had during their childhood a great desire to be normal. In the care of their loved one the relatives had to take a responsibility that many times perceived as inevitable. By accepting the related parties mental illness, there was a fear among the relatives that it normalized the related parties illness. Finally, we make recommendations to the social work practice that relatives is a large group that should not be ignored. Active social workers need to a greater extent seize the relatives experiences and thus respond to the relatives need for support.