How can I help a person with mental illness who feels like a burden?

People with serious mental illness (SMI) may believe that they are a burden to their families through their illness or other factors in their lives. They may feel that their families or friends would be better off without them. They may describe themselves as bad people.
If a family suspects that this is what their relative is feeling, efforts can be made to make the person feel valued as a good person, and wanted, needed and loved. Love, trust and sincerity are all important. Family education about mental illness often helps family caregivers to be less burdened, or to be more adept at managing, and coping with, the burden (if it is considered a burden) or stresses of caring.