Press Statement: CPsychI release first of planned series of short videos to provide practical help for families of young people with mental illness during Covid-19

Continued support, guidance and flexibility is needed for those with mental illness while protective and restrictive measures are in place for the Coronavirus. With this in mind and to alleviate the additional pressure or stress that families of young people with mental illness now face the College has embarked on developing a series of short videos with a few key practical measures for them. 

Today the first video for families of a young person(s) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, has been released in the series ‘Supporting Families of Young People with Mental Illness’. 

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Dr Kieran Moore, in five minutes, outlines some achievable steps families can take to ease the additional burden on both them and their young person with ADHD who are now limited to being in their homes more and trying to cope without the usual important routines and structures, such as school.  See the entire video series here.

Dr Moore explains,

“ I have been very conscious of the additional stress many families of children and young people with certain mental  illnesses face since the necessary measures began. The restrictions are particularly challenging for those with ADHD and could see a worsening of behaviours and symptoms. I hope this short video with suggested practical and manageable tasks will help them and their family cope with and survive the social isolation and having to stay at home.”

In the Dr Moore provides advice to parents and carers on useful fun games such traditional treasure hunts, planned structure with time limits around certain activities and school wok and on medication where relevant.

It is vital that people with ADHD and other mental illnesses continue to engage with their mental health practitioners and services during this period, stresses the College.

Covid-19 is stressful for all but the College is acutely aware of the additional impact these times are having, and will continue to have, on those who live with mental illness and neurodevelopment conditions as well as on their families, loved ones and carers.

President of the College, Dr William Flannery commented,

“The College is keen to provide information and support in any way it can to its members and trainee psychiatrists, other frontline health professionals as well as the general public.”

Explaining the aim of the videos Dr Flannery said,

“The aim of a suite of short informative videos being developed and  released over the next week is to reach specific families who, hopefully, will benefit from practical advice from some of our very experienced member consultant psychiatrists.

“Obviously with social distancing and minimum contact we have produced them remotely between our office team and the psychiatrists all of whom are working remotely from laptops but the message and information in them is  the most important and we hope will be useful.”

Other videos in development and to be released over the next week are support for families of a young person with an eating disorder and of a young person with autism.   The College welcome further suggestions of similar videos that families of those with mental illness may find useful. Suggestions can be sent to info@irishpsychiatry.ie

The College reiterates that treatment and support are still imperative for many but may be delivered in a different way when necessary to comply with the Covid1-19 practices that minimise the spread and damage of the virus.