Tips from ODSW February 2016: Caregiver's Guide to Psychosis | Page 25

TIPS TO OVERCOME SELF-GUILT
AND ACHIEVING ACCEPTANCE
No one is to be blamed for a young person’s
mental illness. There are many factors that
contributes to mental illness such as genetics,
inability to cope with stressors etc. therefore
here are some tips to aid you in overcoming
self-guilt and achieving acceptance.

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Forgive yourself- You may find that you’re self-blaming
when the young person’s recovery is not going well,
or blaming yourself for other matters but caregivers
would never wish the worst for the young person so
be kind to yourself and forgive yourself.

Acknowledge your feelings- Do not ignore your guilt

or other emotions. There is nothing wrong with having
emotions, the first step in turning negative thoughts to
positive thoughts is to acknowledge your feelings.
Aim to be a caregiver that Cares, not a perfect
caregiver- Guilt surfaces when one falls short of his/
her own expectations. There can never be a perfect
caregiver hence give what you can give to the young
person rather than looking at what you cannot give.

Talk to somebody- Talking with other caregivers who

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are going through the same difficulties can help you
deal with your feelings and experiences. Pay attention
to your inner dialogue- The conversations that go
on in our head are often full of judgment, criticism
and insecurities. Guilt results from what we say to
ourselves after the occurrence of the actual event.
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