About storiesofcare.eu
Motivation
Mental illness affects up to one third of Europeans each year, leading to a high load of personal suffering and to substantial economic costs. As a rule, family caregivers of these persons - typically parents and siblings - are involved and affected in many different ways in their roles as informal carers.
They are often not appropriately informed by professionals about what is known about these mental illnesses and are also affected by a plethora of problems and burdens for which they get little help and are in danger of being marginalised in society.
Studies show that families routinely request information on basic facts about mental illness and its treatment, behavior management skills, and the mental health system in order to better cope with their relatives' illnesses.
In addition to the typical problems of carers of persons with persistent and progressing physical illnesses and disabilities, the specific problems of these family members are the often fluctuating course of the illness and the changing insight of persons with complex mental disorders, as well as stigma and shame issues, which drive many such families into social isolation.
AIM
The project aims to raise awareness on the problems that caregivers of people suffering from schizophrenia are
experiencing.
By using a "learning by doing" approach and by providing clear guidance, we aim to increase the confidence and competence of family members in partner associations to use stories in their activities, as these support caregivers in meaning-making and can contribute to their wellbeing and social participation.