# Mental Health Caregiver Guidance

> Practical guidance for mental health caregivers on communication, routines, treatment support, boundaries, crisis planning and caregiver wellbeing.

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Language: en-IN
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Support the person without carrying everything alone

Family and friends often provide essential support. Helpful care combines compassion, respect, practical planning and realistic limits.

A caregiver is not expected to diagnose, provide therapy, physically restrain someone, or manage a dangerous crisis alone.

## Communicate with respect

- Choose a calm time, listen more than you speak and ask what support feels useful
- Use observations rather than labels: “I noticed you have not slept” instead of “You are being difficult”
- Do not shame, threaten, mock symptoms or argue aggressively about unusual beliefs
- Respect privacy and independence while acting when immediate safety is at risk

## Support care and daily life

- Help arrange appointments, transport and a written medicines list
- With permission, note sleep, appetite, functioning, substance use, side effects and early warning signs
- Support regular meals, sleep, hygiene, activity and manageable responsibilities
- Break tasks into small steps and recognise progress
- Ask the treating team what changes require urgent contact

## Make a crisis plan

- Write down early warning signs and the person’s preferred contacts
- Keep 112, Tele-MANAS 14416, the treating clinician and nearest hospital details available
- Plan who can stay with children or dependent relatives during a crisis
- Secure medicines and other means of harm when risk is identified and it is safe to do so

## Protect caregiver health

Long-term caring can affect sleep, mood, work and physical health. Share tasks, take planned breaks and seek help for your own distress. Support groups, counselling, psychoeducation and respite may help.

If you are being threatened or harmed, move to safety and call 112. Caring does not require accepting violence.

## Related guides

[Family support](https://www.drhnroy.org/family-support/)[Emergency help](https://www.drhnroy.org/emergency-mental-health-help/)[Prepare for a consultation](https://www.drhnroy.org/prepare-for-psychiatric-consultation/)

Sources and review

## How this guide was prepared

Prepared by the Dr H N Roy Mental Health Awareness Initiative editorial team from the public-health sources below. Last editorial review: 14 September 2026.

Medical-review status: General educational content; no individual clinical reviewer is named. Do not use this page as diagnosis or personalised medical advice.

- [World Health Organization: Interventions for carers of people with dementia](https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/treatment-care/mental-health-gap-action-programme/evidence-centre/dementia/interventions-for-carers-of-people-with-dementia)
- [World Health Organization: Mental disorders](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders)
- [Government of India, DGHS: National Mental Health Programme and Tele-MANAS](https://dghs.mohfw.gov.in/national-mental-health-programme.php)

[Read our editorial and correction policy](https://www.drhnroy.org/editorial-policy/)

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This content is general education, not a diagnosis, prescription, emergency service or confirmed appointment. For immediate danger, call India’s emergency number 112 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.