Treat depression , it is also protecting his family

Treat depressive , it is also protecting his family , the occurrence of this disease can cause the " explosion" of a family, said Dr. Sami- Paul Tawil , psychiatrist ( Saint-Antoine Hospital , Paris ) during the " day European depression . "
In a book entitled " The Mirror of Janus , understand and treat depression and manic depression," the practitioner devotes an entire chapter to the impact of the disease on the patient's environment and the role of family.

Characterized by the persistence of a melancholic state , depression has many faces . It can also alternate with periods of elation , signature of manic depression . But by providing a common approach to diseases that affect the mood in France over four million people a year , Dr. Tawil tries to demonstrate in his guide of the disease, they are not inevitable. If the conditions are met.

" A previously welded family can literally explode ' when one of its members is diagnosed manic-depressive ," he warns. There is sadness , surprise and especially an almost palpable fear. " With manic depression , we can talk about chain reactions and ricochets unconscious . Everything telescope with brutality in anguish and sometimes in violence," he said. Guilt , shame, anxiety, despondency and anger are also conventional reactions , he says.

The role of the family is yet to provide full support , says he , " without love and friendship, the best drugs and the best psychotherapy is not enough that a manic-depressive illness effectively fights " . But he also warns , "love does not pay in excess : criticize or infantilizing a sick person équivant to freeze in his illness, to stifle his personality and help take action ."

In fact , he says , the whole family needs help to reach the patient support . And talk with the doctor is the first step . It may eventually offer family therapy in addition to individual therapy , because in all cases , the parent and children suffer too much power to bear alone and unaided the new situation.

Providing assistance to caregivers , Sami -Paul Tawil provides twelve recommendations to close a manic-depressive . Among these , the practitioner advises not to preach , to banish all emotional blackmail , not to resort to the threat.

These tips are all ways to help patients to protect loved ones.