| Abstract: | Correspondence to Dr David W. Jones, School of Social Science, University of East London, Barking Campus, Longbridge Road, Dagenham RM8 2AS, UK. E-mail: D.Jones{at}uel.ac.uk Summary This paper examines, in terms of a complex loss, the experiencesof people who have a family member who suffers from seriousmental illness. Whilst partnership between professionals andfamily carers is clearly being encouraged and is doubtless laudablein the whole area of health and social care, there seem to beserious obstacles to successful collaboration between familiesand professionals involved in serious mental illness. Part ofthe reason for this is that the emotional experiences of relativesare not well understood. This paper uses interview materialfrom a larger qualitative study of an ethnically diverse sampleto argue that the families of people with serious mental healthproblems need to be understood as having experienced a complexloss. The loss is complicated by (i) the continuing presenceof the person who is felt to have been lost; (ii) feelings ofanger (and subsequent guilt); and (iii) feelings of shame. Professionalswho work with families need to be aware of the uncomfortablefeelings that they are often struggling with. Professionalsare in a good position to provide support in allowing thosefeelings to be acknowledged and to take their place in the dialoguethat families need to have if they are to move on from the frustrationsof the chronic grief that others have observed (MacGregor, 1994;Wasow, 1995). |
