The lived experiences of people with mental illness and the impact on their families

Abstract

Approximately one out of four people worldwide experience mental illness at some point in their life. In past times, mental illness was associated with demonic possessions. Nowadays people with mental illness are more accepted in society even though their illnesses are still considered as a taboo subject and they are often faced with stigma. This study explored the lived experience and perspectives of people with mental illness and their families. In addition to this, the study also explored the main barriers that the participants face in society. The main conceptual frameworks used in the study were the social model of disability and interpretative phenomenology. A qualitative approach was used in this study. The research was carried out in a Maltese context. Participants were recruited through three NGOs working in the field of mental illness. They were selected using purposive sampling. Four people with mental illness and four family members, chosen by the person with mental illness him/herself, took part in this research. Each participant was given an information letter, either in English or in Maltese according to their preference, about the study. Semi-structured interviews were used and data was analysed using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA). IPA draws from three influences which are phenomenology, hermeneutics and idiography. Using IPA in this study enabled the researcher to get a closer look at the participants’ lived experience. The single most prevalent factor that emerged from the interviews was stigma. It was the most dominant barrier that was experienced in any aspect and lived experience of people with mental illness. When referring to people with mental illness and their families, the concepts of Dasein and Mitsein by Heidegger were used. Dasein referred to people with mental illness whilst Mitsein referred to the family members. The being-in-the-world of people with mental illness is engulfed by stigma. The family members indicated that their lived experience is more about care (Sorge) and empathy towards their relative with mental illness. Rather than experiencing barriers themselves, the family members were more affected by how others treated their relative with mental illness. Since stigma was always rebounding back to the person with mental illness, it was compared to the strings of the Yo-Yo. While this study has contributed results similar to the literature review about the lived experience of people with mental illness and their family members, further emancipatory research is required especially when it comes to services for the family members. Findings showed that the transition of services from Mount Carmel Hospital to Mater Dei Hospital might be one projecting possibility, that is one of several possibilities that decrease the stigmatising way how the public views mental illness and aid the lived experience of people with mental illness and their families to be less negative. The media is another projecting possibility as it can be used to provide awareness and education about mental illness.