‘When do I live?’ What caring for a relative with schizophrenia costs families

Family members are often the ones who care for those living with severe mental conditions such as schizophrenia , which causes delusions and hallucinations.

Studies often focus on those who have conditions like schizophrenia, which is estimated to affect about one out of every 300 South Africans .

But a study of those who care for people with severe mental conditions in the Eastern Cape found that many are struggling financially and emotionally.

That’s because looking after someone with a severe mental health condition involves much more than taking them to a clinic.

Caregivers cook, clean, help with personal hygiene and remind their relatives to take medication in an effort to keep them well.

Here’s how they cope.

When someone lives with a severe mental illness, their care often falls onto their family members.

In today’s newsletter , Bongwekazi Rapiya looks at how those family members cope.

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COMMENT “When do I live?” A 32-year-old man in the Eastern Cape asked us this question while crying as he described taking care of his younger brother, who has schizophrenia .

The man was talking about the sacrifices he makes for his brother and the other relatives he supports.

Winter was coming, he said, and he needed to buy things for them.

Sometimes, he has to buy necessities like food and clothing on credit.

“I sacrifice stuff for my siblings,” he told us.