Moving Your Adult Child With Mental Illness Back Home? Tips For You

When you have an adult child that suffers from a mental illness like severe depression or borderline personality disorder, there may come a day in which your child cannot function out in the world on their own. If this happens and you are planning to move your child back into your family home, you might not know what to do about the moving process. While your child with a mental health disorder is physically capable of helping with the move, they may not be mentally and emotionally able to do so. Get to know a few basic moving tips to help you move your adult child back into your home to make the process smoother and easier for everyone involved. 

Do Not Force Your Child to Part with Their Possessions

Because your child is struggling with their mental health disorder symptoms, their emotions are likely quite fragile. Moving alone can be stressful on your child, but downsizing and choosing which items to keep and which to get rid of can be more overwhelming that your child can deal with. 

Instead of pushing or forcing them to make these choices and to part with their possessions, you may want to rent them a self-storage unit to store the possessions that cannot fit in your home when they move in. Instead of choosing which items to part with permanently, you can be supportive of your child. Let them know that the items not coming to your house with them will not be trashed or given to someone else. They will still be able to access them and when they are ready to get out on their own again, they will have everything they need to do so. 

Make Sure They Have the Things that Bring Them Joy

Many people associate certain items or collections of items with happiness and joy. Because your child is struggling to manage and control their emotions, it can be more damaging to separate them from the items that make them happier, even if those items are just in a self-storage unit.

If your child has a treasured book collection or movie collection, bring it along to your house. Alternatively, if they have a favorite coffee mug that they use everyday, do not pack it away. Make room for it in your kitchen. The little things can help make the transition easier for your child and can make everything go smoothly for you. A coffee mug or a few books do not take up a great deal of space but can mean a world of difference to your child as they go through a difficult time. 

With these tips in mind, you can be sure that you are doing all you can to make your adult child's transition back home easier when they are struggling with mental health issues. For more information, contact companies like Pearl Street Self Storage.