I Am Not Sick I Dont Need Help

I Am Not Sick I Don’t Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment An overview of the book authored by Xavier Amador,

What the research says…

Prisoner’s insight… When a person who is hospitalized says that s/he will take meds, participate in treatment, etc. upon discharge from the hospital in order to be released

Anosognosia (Ann knows egg no sea a) Ø Neuropsychological syndrome Ø Dysfunction in frontal lobes of the brain Ø Unawareness of deficits, symptoms or signs of illness

Anosognosia includes Ø Very severe lack of awareness Ø Belief persists despite conflicting evidence Ø Confabulations Ø Inability to integrate new information that is contrary to erroneous beliefs Ø Patch-like pattern of poor insight – pockets of unawareness & awareness often coexist

Wrong Approach ØMedical model ØConfrontation & group “interventions” We don’t take meds for an illness we don’t think we have.

Right Approach Ø Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) & LEAP (Listen-Empathize. Agree-Partner) Ø Repair damage done to your relationship. Ø Help your loved one find his/her own reasons to accept treatment.

LEAP Ø LISTEN Ø EMPATHIZE Ø AGREEMENT Ø PARTNERSHIP

LISTENING REFLECTIVE listening vs reactive listening. Reflect back without commenting, disagreeing or arguing.

LISTENING Listen to the person’s Ø Beliefs about having a mental illness Ø Experience & attitudes about medication Ø Concept of what s/he can and cannot do Ø Hopes & expectations for the future .

Reflective Listening

EMPATHIZING Listening leads to empathizing. Empathizing does not mean agreeing with a person’s delusions.

Empathize with any feeling your loved one is willing to share.

Give your opinion only when it’s asked for. A solicited opinion carries more weight than an unsolicited opinion.

Before you give your opinion: ØApologize ØAcknowledge fallibility ØAgree to disagree Never use the word “but”

Doesn’t take extra time; takes practice!

Remember: Always ask questions when you want to make a point.

PARTNERING Ø Focusing on “advantages, ” not the illness Ø Agreeing on goals that are reachable Ø Apologizing for having different opinions Ø Sharing your fears