Commentary: Self-neglect in people with serious mental illness is shaped by relational and systemic factors

Implications for practice and research► Nurses should adopt relational and integrated approaches that address social isolation, stigma and fragmented care when supporting individuals experiencing self-neglect.► Future studies should evaluate culturally sensitive and communitybased interventions that reduce self-neglect among people with serious mental illness. ContextSelf-neglect is a significant concern in mental health and social care, particularly among individuals living with serious mental illness.It is commonly associated with poor hygiene, malnutrition, unsafe living conditions and failure to seek medical care.However, traditional clinical approaches often frame self-neglect as an individual deficit or a consequence of psychiatric symptoms alone.Existing evidence suggests that self-neglect is also influenced by social isolation, stigma, poverty and fragmented support systems. 1 2 Individuals with serious mental illness frequently experience exclusion from healthcare and community resources, increasing vulnerability to neglectful behaviours.Understanding self-neglect through lived experience is therefore important for developing compassionate and person-centred care.Individuals with serious mental illness often experience self-neglect as a complex and evolving process that affects their ability to maintain personal care and daily responsibilities.This process is marked by a gradual reduction in self-care practices, decision-making capacity and personal agency, influenced by psychological difficulties as well as social and environmental challenges.