If you are a parent diagnosed with mental illness — or co-parenting with a mentally ill former spouse or partner — you have additional challenges to overcome that many parents never face.
Let’s dive deeper and explore how mental illness can affect your child custody rights.
Mental illness doesn’t preclude custody rights
Obviously, mental illness is a spectrum, and a parent struggling to cope with anxiety is not on par with an actively psychotic parent who is unmedicated. But it can also be a slippery slope to try to navigate.
The best way to cope with your mental health challenges while parenting your children is to work closely with your doctor and mental health professionals who can help you stay the course. Remaining dedicated to your treatment plan, attending all sessions with your therapist and doctor and staying compliant with your medication regimen can show the court that you take your custody rights very seriously.
When co-parents experience a mental health break
Even the most well-controlled mental illnesses can rear their heads during times of stress or uncertainty. If a parent recognizes and acknowledges that they need additional support, they can work with their co-parent to adjust the custody schedule accordingly.
If they remain in denial and are clearly not stable, their co-parent may need to take some legal steps to ensure that the kids are 100% safe and secure when they are with their mentally ill parent. That could mean implementing supervised visitation or other measures until their circumstances stabilize.
If you ever believe that your children are unsafe with their other parent, take immediate legal action and get a Court Order to avoid a parenting disaster.