How to Care for the Mentally Challenged

The term "mentally challenged" has been applied to describe people living with any condition that affects the functioning of the mind. This may mean developmental disorders, such as autism and dyslexia; mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and depression; and mental retardation brought about by any number of causes. Part of the challenge is for the families affected by their loved ones' condition. By research and planning, using all available resources and building a support network, families can make life easier for themselves and their mentally challenged loved one.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access or area phone book with "blue pages"
• Notebook and pen
• Phone

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Instructions

Start with a diagnosis

• 1

  If the condition was not diagnosed at birth, the first step toward a sane household is to obtain a diagnosis, so you can determine your treatment options. Use your health insurance or an online physician referral service to find both a neurologist and a psychiatrist. The neurologist can do tests to determine the condition, and the psychiatrist can prescribe and monitor medications as necessary. A psychiatrist may also prescribe counseling with a psychologist, to help the patient sort out emotional issues that have developed due to the condition. Some people resist this step, thinking that psychiatrists and psychologists are for "crazy people." You will just have to keep trying, compassionately and lovingly, to convince them that a diagnosis is the first step to feeling better.

• 2

  Once a diagnosis is obtained, make sure your loved one takes her medications. She may resist, but again, your line must always be, "You can't feel better without this medicine." Failure to comply with a psychiatrist's prescribed regimen can aggravate the original symptoms and lead to more serious trouble than the condition initially caused. In the case of a learning disability, the neurologist may prescribe speech or occupational therapy, and again, it is necessary to comply with these instructions if any improvement is to occur.

• 3

  You may be eligible for some assistance. Begin with your county department of health and human services. Their contact information can be found through a simple online search or in the blue pages in your area phone book. Call them and ask to be screened for eligibility for services, and they will guide you through an application process. Assistance may take many forms, including the services of a social worker, monetary assistance for those who cannot work, and help placing people who need help living independently in group homes. Your loved one may also be eligible for disability or Social Security payments, both of which can be determined by applying at your local Social Security office.

• 4

  Be patient and persistent. In a notebook, keep notes about every call you make, every website you visit and every professional you see so you can refer back to who told you to do what and when. Also, keep copies of any forms you complete.

• 5

  Make time for yourself. Caring for someone with mental or emotional issues can be a full-time job, but you cannot do it well if you allow your stress to build up inside you. Every day, take a few minutes to do something for yourself, and if necessary, once a week, find someone to stay with your loved one so you can get out for awhile and do something on your own. Take a walk or a bike ride, attend a class at the gym, go get a manicure or pedicure, go play a sport you like. This self-care is critical if you plan on caring for someone else.