The Legacy for Adulthood of Parental Mental Illness

Abstract

The repercussions of growing up with a parent with mental health difficulties have largely been underexplored in available academic literature. Therefore, this research paper aims to highlight how once mental health problems erupt within the family, the impact is not only felt by the patient but also by their intimate others. Through a literature review and seven intensive interviews, this thesis explores the adult legacy of having a parent with mental health difficulties in Spain. Results show that the repercussions of having a parent with mental health difficulties are often difficult to label as either good or bad but are rather situated in a spectrum. For example, while having an increased independence and sense of maturity was often reported as a source of pride, there is also the risk of taking too many responsibilities on their shoulders. However, despite having difficulties, drawing boundaries and negotiating responsibilities, participants also recognized that despite the challenges they have faced as they learned how to live with parental mental illness, they all have managed to get something good/useful out of it. Beyond the subjective impact that growing up with a mentally ill parent has had on my participants, this thesis also aimed to portray these individuals as experts through experiences, so my results also contain some of their criticism towards the health- care system, suggestions for improvement and general recommendations for other individuals living with a mentally ill parent.