The role of family education.

A mentally ill relative not only represents a tragedy for a family but also poses a challenge to the practitioner trying to understand the family's perspective as they attempt to cope with this profoundly difficult situation. Such an understanding calls for a new professional paradigm that includes the family in the treatment process, taking into account the subjective experiences and objective burdens of mental illness. When families are well-informed about mental illness, they can become allies in treatment, control stress, and participate in problem-solving.