ABSTRACT
The onset and long-term effects of mental illness impact the entire family. Additionally, the family can play a critical role in the course of illness. Today, we understand mental illness in a biopsychosocial context, with “interactive roles of genetic vulnerability, biological predispositions, family or life events stress, and psychological vulnerability” (Miklowitz, 2007). Because of the individual’s biological sensitivity to symptoms, the family environment has a greater impact in either protecting against or exacerbating the illness. Despite advances in brain science and treatment of mental illness, stigma continues to be a barrier to accurate information reaching families, who play a key role in an individual’s recovery.
