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 you understand questions such as:

• 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 of the condition, available treatments and recovery pathways can reduce confusion, improve communication and support more confident decision-making. While every person's experience is unique, understanding common patterns often helps families respond with greater clarity and compassion.

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
• evidence-informed treatment approaches and the role of medication, including possible benefits and side effects
• 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 can be coordinated with our in-house psychiatrist. This may include medication reviews, diagnostic assessments, or a second psychiatric opinion, helping to ensure a collaborative and integrated approach to care. The person you're caring for does not have to be a Health Call patient.

Confidentiality

We follow strict confidentiality. Nothing is shared with the person you're caring for, their treating team, or your family without your consent.

Booking

Confidential in-person sessions at Health Call Clinic, Dubai Healthcare City. 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.