How to support the mental health of a sibling
A study of over 3,500 siblings of people with mental illness discovered they were vulnerable to distress and burden, as well as reduced wellbeing.
There are several mental health benefits to strong sibling relationships, which include:
Emotional support: comfort, empathy and acceptance.
Informational support: advice, guidance and knowledge.
Instrumental support: financial assistance or practical help like transportation, childcare, chores or errands.
Often, siblings can be an important factor in the lives of people with mental illness, but they need to take care of their own mental health, too.
How to support your sibling
Support from family can play a significant role in the recovery process of someone experiencing a mental health issue.
Ways to support a sibling:
let them know you care and support them
treat them with respect and dignity
talk with them about their feelings
suggest they speak to their GP or other mental health professional
offer assistance to book appointments or attend meetings with them
If your sibling doesn’t want to seek help or support, you can:
Share information sourced from a health professional or a self-help book with relevant strategies.
Provide them with information to access e-mental health resources.
Seek guidance from a health professional if their mental health deteriorates or you believe they are at risk of harming themselves or others.
How to support yourself
Siblings may be impacted when their family member experiences a mental health issue.
A strong support network is important to maintain your mental wellbeing.
Take time to care for yourself to prevent exhaustion and allow time and space to deal with the thoughts, emotions and stress that can be associated with supporting someone with a mental illness.
Where to get help
If your life or someone else’s is in danger, call 000 immediately.
If you’re in distress and need help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24/7 crisis support.
For non-emergency support, your GP or regular health practitioner is often the best place to start. They will be able to assess your individual situation and recommend the best next steps for your recovery.
Remember that help is always available, no matter the situation.
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Things you need to know
While we hope you find this information helpful, please note that it is general in nature. It is not health advice, and is not tailored to meet your individual health needs. You should always consult a trusted health professional before making decisions about your health care. While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them. For these reasons we are unable to accept responsibility for any loss that may be sustained from acting on this information (subject to applicable consumer guarantees).