When a family member is taken to hospital,
a competition sometimes develops between the hospital and the family
about the patient. This might result in a loyalty conflict for the
patient, and if worse comes to worst, it could lead to a relapse
of the illness. It is therefore very important with good relations
between the nursing staff and the family.
 The
relatives need to have their significance confirmed, and they need
to know how to help a family member who has become mentally ill.
Many relatives also want to talk about feelings of guilt and shame,
and "forbidden" feelings. Feelings of guilt are common
and may arise as a consequence of the medical health care's or the
society's attitude. Relatives with feelings of shame may find it
difficult to talk about their situation, and there is a risk they
isolate themselves. Moreover, many relatives are very lonely and
they feel burdened by too heavy a responsibility. Some relatives
need to talk about their thoughts regarding the reasons behind the
illness, even if they remain unknown.
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