Mental illness in parents Literature & Language Essay

Swapan Chaddah
Professor Winchester
English 121– AL23
29 October 2020
Mental illness in parents
Mental illness is a severe health threat that affects people, including parents. In every four people across the world, one person experiences a mental disorder at least once in their lives (World Health Organization). Thus said, many children grow up with a parent who at some point has some form of mental illness such as bipolar diseases, depression, schizophrenia, and dementia, to mention a few. Research shows 50-66% of parents suffering from severe and enduring mental illness live with one or more children (Mental Health Foundation, np). Children who grow up with a mentally ill parent experience diverse challenges such as vigilance, uncertainty, and apprehension. On the flipside, such problems help in promoting independence, improving family ties, facilitate resilience and protective factors among the children since most of them lack parental guidance and support. However, most of the children suffer from social, economic, psychological, emotional, and cognitive challenges, stigmatization, and discrimination that greatly affect their personal and professional development.
Children who grow up with a mentally ill parent suffer from financial problems. Parents with severe mental illness are financially disadvantaged than their counterparts without mental disorders (Mental Health Foundation, np). As such most of these families often live in abject poverty, particularly those from developing countries. For instance, in 2009, over 50% of parents suffering from disabilities in the United States applied for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, social security disability insurance, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that are rarely adequate to satisfy their needs (Luciano et al, 242). Parents suffering from mental find it hard to achieve and sustain financial security. According to Luciano et al. (243), 39 to 68% of seriously mentally ill people are rarely employed. The economic challenges lead to significant impacts on children's wellbeing. For example, children from these families often lack basic needs, and in some cases, they are forced to work in order to support their parents. Reducing poverty and supporting mentally ill parents to acquire knowledge and better jobs can help achieve family stability and better outcomes for children.
Parental mental illness causes emotional, cognitive, and psychological instabilities among children. Worldwide, around 23% of offspring live with parents suffering from mental problems (Leijdesdorff, 314). Usually, such parents find it difficult to explain what is happening to their children, making it hard for them to understand their parent’s behavior. As a result, their children feel lonely and not backed up, thus increasing their risk of anxiety and distress in life (Luciano et al, 242). According to Boursnell (28), children from these families often engage in negative behaviors such as substance abuse, violence and other awful behaviors. Although not all children with mentally ill parents associate with negative morals, most are affected, and traversing such character requires solid understanding and guidance. Therefore, children need to be provided with re...