Many parents diagnosed with mental illness worry about whether they should tell their children, and if so, how to begin talking to their children about their mental illness. Research shows that in families where there is a mother or father with mental illness, the children, even young children, in those families are able to better understand how mental illness affects their parent’s behavior if the parent talks with them about their mental illness.

Should parents have reasons for concern if their child who is 7 years or older hears voices saying derogatory things about him or her, or voices conversing with one another, talks to himself or herself, stares at scary things- snakes, spiders, shadows- that are not really there, and show no interest in friendships?