Three monologues on the personal, professional and family impact of psychosis

Abstract

This article brings together three fictional accounts surrounding the treatment of a young man’s psychotic illness, via the lens of the patient, his father and his case manager in a closed ward. The three accounts are currently used in workshops for parents of inpatients. The article presents aspects of the subjective experiences of coping with psychosis, such as hope, guilt and the dynamics of dissociation, and discusses the implications for practice. The article highlights the importance of paying full attention to parents and maintaining an optimistic outlook.

Keywords:

• hope
• dissociation
• guilt
• parents

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to Yael Liron, Roi Sagy and Yaron Topaz for invaluable insights and references which greatly enhanced this article.