Psychiatric care in Switzerland is at breaking point. And things aren’t getting any easier – there is ample evidence that the situation is precarious. Relatives and those close to people with mental health conditions are in the eye of the storm. Day by day, they are constantly finding ways to help their loved ones. They usually do this in silence and isolation – often burdened by shame, overwhelm, anger, grief and exhaustion. Far from public perception or the professionals who shape the healthcare system, they do a huge amount.
The relatives and loved ones of people with mental health conditions are systemically relevant in many respects. It’s easy to explain why: Anything the system can only bear and resolve in part, or not at all, ultimately ends up on the shoulders of loved ones, parents, children, siblings, and partners of people with mental health conditions. They do a big, demanding job. Without them, the system would collapse and the suffering of those affected would increase.
59% of the adult population in Switzerland has already had a relative or loved one suffer from mental health issues. Around half of these – approximately 2.1 million people – currently find themselves in this position. It goes without saying that their contribution is hugely important for those affected and eases the burden on the system to the tune of billions each year. These are costs that do not appear in any statistics but which should be included in statistics relating to the care system. This support work takes its toll: Around a third of family members become ill themselves as a result of the strain. If we do not take care of their needs, we are playing ‘Russian roulette’ with the health of many people in our country.
As the Stand by You Switzerland relatives’ movement, we are part of civil society. We are amongst those people in our country who, through the work they do voluntarily, help us stick together, thrive and function as a society. That’s why we can make the following argument: The pressure on psychiatric care will increase in the coming years to such an extent that professionals alone (care, clinical psychiatry, social work, funding agencies, NGOs) will not be able to cope with the crisis. We as a society are called upon to find solutions so that those affected can go through their daily lives with as much self-determination as possible and with as many means of participating in social, societal, cultural and economic life as possible.
The actual relevance of family and loved ones contrasts with many of our everyday experiences: We family members too often find ourselves in the marginalised position of outsiders, patronised by professionals in the field as well as NGOs. All too often, we are having to plead our case. We take full responsibility and are left in the lurch when our loved ones fall into chaos again or struggle their way through everyday life. We are ‘case managers’, whether we like it or not. That’s why we want to help influence matters and get more resources so we can effectively shape the volunteer work we do for relatives. We are therefore calling for greater recognition of those who have skin in the game in the care system, just like us. With a mere focus on the professional, we will end up in a dead end.
Christian Pfister is Co-President of Stand by You Switzerland. The association aims to strengthen solidarity among relatives of people with mental health conditions and expand the support options available to relatives and loved ones. Christian Pfister has many years of management experience in corporate communications, strategic marketing and public affairs at major financial service providers such as Swiss Life, the Winterthur Group and Credit Suisse.
