Journey of a psychiatric nurse: Growing up with parents with mental illness

Abstract

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? The parent–child relationship has a significant impact on children's mental health. Families with individuals with mental illness constitute a high‐risk group in the community. It can be challenging for children to cope with issues related to having parents with mental illness. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? This paper explains the feelings, thoughts and experiences of a psychiatric nurse whose parents both have a mental illness and emphasizes the positive and negative effects of growing up in such a situation. The effects of growing up with parents with mental illness should be addressed as a whole. What are the implications for practice? The narrative highlights the impact that parents with mental illness have on children. Psychiatric nurses are in a key position to provide children whose parents have a mental illness with timely and continuous help in developing coping and support mechanisms.