Perceived burden and coping strategies among caregivers of mentally ill patients

The caregivers of mentally ill patients are facing a lot of burden, Strain, unhealthy life style and not able to cope with their mentally ill patient and needs support for the family. Therefore, it is of interest to assess perceived burden, coping strategies and psychological well-being among caregivers of mentally ill patients in selected psychiatric hospitals of Gujarat. Hence, a total of 100 caregivers were selected using purposive sampling. The findings showed that 63% of caregivers experienced high burden, while 37% reported very high burden. Nearly 75% of caregivers had inadequate coping strategies. Data shows the substantial caregiver burden and the need for targeted interventions to improve coping and psychological well-being. This study advances knowledge by documenting high caregiver burden, inadequate coping and compromised psychological well-being among caregivers of mentally ill patients in Gujarat. Thus, demographic associations, supporting the need for structured psychosocial and nursing interventions.