Mental health conditions can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, health status, or income. This includes individuals who have or want to have children. Parenting is both rewarding and challenging, and it poses specific difficulties for people with a mental health condition. Here, you will find information about parenting and mental illness, resources for help, and ways to support yourself and your children.
The impact of a parent's mental illness on children is complex and unpredictable. While parental mental illness may present biological, psychosocial, and environmental risks, not all children will be negatively affected in the same way. The presence of a parent's mental illness alone doesn't necessarily cause problems for the child and family. It is how the mental health condition influences the parent's behavior and family relationships that may pose a risk to the child. Factors such as the age of onset, severity, and duration of the parent's mental illness, the level of stress in the family due to the illness, and most importantly, the effect of the parent's symptoms on positive parenting (such as showing interest in their children) determine the level of risk for the child. The child's age and stage of development are also significant.
Building protective factors in children helps foster their resilience. Resilient children understand that they are not responsible for their parent's difficulties and can navigate life's challenges effectively. It is always important to consider the age and stage of development when providing support to children. Some protective factors for children include a warm and supportive relationship with their parent, help and support from immediate and extended family members, feeling loved by their parent, positive self-esteem, good coping skills, and positive peer relationships.
Resources:
Joanne Nicholson, Elaine Sweeny, and Jeffrey Geller. Mothers With Mental Illness: I. The Competing Demands of Parenting and Living With Mental Illness. Psychiatric Services. May 1998. Vol. 49. No. 5.
2. Ibid.