Supporting the Carer No One Talks About

When someone you love is living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), psychosis, schizophrenia, or borderline personality disorder, the impact is rarely limited to one person. Partners, parents, siblings and adult children often find themselves taking on the role of carer — sometimes gradually, sometimes overnight.

Many people tell me they feel exhausted, worried, frustrated or guilty, yet hesitate to seek support because they believe the focus should remain on their loved one. Your wellbeing matters too. Supporting someone with a significant mental health condition can be emotionally demanding, and you do not have to navigate it alone.

Why Understanding Makes a Difference

One of the greatest sources of distress for families is uncertainty. When behaviours feel confusing or unpredictable, relationships can become strained and everyone may feel overwhelmed.

Psychoeducation can help families understand symptoms, treatment pathways, communication challenges and how to respond during periods of deterioration or crisis. For psychosis and schizophrenia, NICE recommends structured family intervention for families who are in close contact with the person, particularly when symptoms have recently relapsed or remain at risk of relapse.¹ Questions families often ask include:

• Why might someone with OCD repeatedly seek reassurance?
• Why might a person experiencing psychosis be reluctant to accept treatment?
• Why can emotional responses feel so intense and rapidly changing for someone living with borderline personality disorder?

Developing an informed understanding can reduce confusion and support clearer communication and decision-making. Family involvement must still respect the affected person's wishes, privacy and capacity, and should be agreed with them whenever possible.²

Practical Guidance for Everyday Life

Alongside emotional support, sessions focus on practical strategies that can help you manage day-to-day challenges. Depending on your circumstances, we may explore:

• how the condition commonly presents and may affect family life
• general psychoeducation about treatment pathways and questions to discuss with the treating clinician; individual medication advice and medication review remain the responsibility of the psychiatrist or other authorised prescriber
• ways of responding to behaviours that support recovery without unintentionally maintaining unhelpful patterns
• communication strategies during periods of heightened distress or crisis
• establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries
• caring for your own emotional and physical wellbeing while supporting someone else
• planning for the future and building sustainable support networks
• stress management

The aim is not to provide a one-size-fits-all approach, but to help you develop strategies that fit your family, values and circumstances.

Collaborative Care

Where appropriate and with the relevant consent, care may be coordinated with our in-house psychiatrist. This can include psychiatric assessment, medication review or a second psychiatric opinion. Family involvement in another person's treatment requires appropriate consent and respect for confidentiality, except where applicable law or an immediate safety concern requires otherwise.¹,²

The person you're caring for does not have to be a Health Call patient.

Confidentiality

Sessions for carers are confidential. Information is not routinely shared with the person being cared for, their treating team or family members without consent. The usual legal, professional and immediate-safety exceptions still apply and should be explained at the beginning of care.

Booking

Confidential in-person sessions at Health Call Clinic, Dubai Healthcare City — part of our wider support for parents and family carers. To book, call +971 4 363 5343 or book online.

See also: Dealing With Mental Disorder Within the Family: A Caregiver's Guide and our counselling services.