Survey of the social networks of people with severe mental health problems

The social functioning of people with severe mental health problems is an indicator of general physical and emotional well-being. There exists a wealth of literature on the topic from the professional carer's perspective but relatively little from the perspective of the clients themselves. Thirty clients were interviewed in order to explore their understanding of the nature and value of the social networks in which they were currently involved. Despite having participated in a variety of rehabilitation interventions, these clients remained insecure and lacking in confidence. They had few friends beyond members of their immediate family and were generally leading lonely, friendless existences without the capacity to establish new relationships. Although this study suggests that clients often have grandiose plans for the future, mental health nurses may best meet their needs by helping to sustain existing relationships and using them at all levels of therapeutic intervention, rather than attempting to nurture new relationships for which clients are unready and the failure of which may result in a relapse in clients' mental health status.