Someone I am very close to experiences regular bouts of psychosis; it's impacted my life hugely at points, & learning management strategies has been vital for both of us. The things they believe when in the grip of delusion feel v real to them, & the fear & panic ARE real. 1/2 https://twitter.com/NichiHodgson/status/1303980125093015554

I've found it useful to have a few key phrases on hand - as Nichi suggests - so I don't feel lost for words in a crisis, which are supportive, calm, & appropriately boundaried. What do I mean by "boundaried"? Well, in the past I felt that staying up til 5am or dropping work to...

...listen to wild stories about supposed kidnaps etc was the best way to support my family member, but in our case it was accidentally enabling their psychosis & reinforcing their beliefs, plus I was going down with the ship: I was trying to present BBC shows mere minutes...

...after hearing about "shootings", & was a wreck with lack of sleep. Now, saying "I want to give you the full attention you deserve & I can do that at X time for an hour" helps me, & my loved one actually feels comforted by having something reliable & predictable amid the chaos

"That sounds like a horrible way to feel - let's see what we can do to help you feel better" has proved useful for us too. It doesn't deny their *real feelings* but also doesn't give credibility to the delusions (which sometimes do have roots in reality; getting put in a police..

...van because you're acting in a dangerous manner might be remembered as "I was kidnapped by strangers in uniforms & driven off in a vehicle" - the lines between the real & the psychotic get blurred, so saying "That didn't happen" isn't always helpful)

I cannot underline enough how much of a breakthrough it was for me to GET EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL ADVICE FOR MYSELF, AS A RELATIVE - so often care strategies focus only on the person experiencing the mental health issues, but those around them need care & guidance too

Helping & educating myself has made me better able to support my loved one, & without my own life falling apart while I'm at it. This help can admittedly be hard to find - resources welcome! For me, Al Anon for families/friends of alcoholics was useful as alcohol was a factor...

...but what they teach has multiple applications. I co-ordinated with my family too so we were all on the same page about how to treat the situation as a team, & we agreed not to let anyone deal with things alone. I regularly text my loved one about normal stuff...

...Just saying "Hey, Happy Thursday, love you!" - no probing questions or complexity, simply a down-to-earth reminder that they have people thinking about them. This makes them feel safer to reach out when they need me, & knowing they're cared for gives them reassurance as...

...there is often a terrible sense of shame or "being a burden/failure" that strikes after an episode. It's hard, & it will probably be hard for a long time as their circumstances don't have a quick fix, but we are making progress & we have hope & love. <3

My heart goes out to anyone living with MH challenges right now, & those supporting them. We must talk more about this. MH issues go beyond "the blues" (tho that's important & valid too); I don't see enough constructive talk on things like psychosis. <3