Swiss caregivers crucial for mental illness support, study finds

Many people with mental illness are dependent on friends and relatives KEYSTONE/© KEYSTONE / ENNIO LEANZA

According to current estimates, almost 60% of adults in Switzerland, or around 2.1 million people, have provided active support to a mentally ill person in their environment. From the perspective of those affected, this support is important.   

A majority of people affected by some form of mental illness say that without the support of those around them they would be dependent on additional professional help. This was the result of a study published on Wednesday by the Zurich-based Institute for Social and Political Studies (Sotomo).   

Of the carers surveyed, three quarters stated that the role was psychologically stressful. Just over half believe that there are not enough programmes to adequately support the social environment of people with mental illness. They would like better access to information and more opportunities to share their personal experiences. Three quarters find that they receive do not receive the necessary understanding from society for the support they provide.   

+The Swiss prioritise mental health over salary

More than two thirds of relatives and confidants provided or have been providing this support for at least one year, and one third for more than five years. According to Sotomo, the longer the period of support, the greater the potential for conflict. 

Over a third of those surveyed had experienced a family member suffering from a mental condition in their childhood. A large proportion were negatively affected by the experience. 

For the study, 2,042 people from German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland were surveyed online between November 14 and November 27 last year. The study was commissioned by Stand by You, the umbrella organisation for relatives and confidants of people with mental illness. 

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Adapted from German by deepL/mg/amva

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