Mental illnesses are disorders that impact a person’s mood, thoughts, or behaviors and include a range of diagnoses. Supporting a loved one with mental illness can be challenging. You know what kind of help to offer when someone is sick with a cold or the flu, but you may be at a loss when it comes to caring for someone with mental illness.
Every individual and every situation is different. You know your loved one and probably already have an understanding of which approaches will work best. However, if a friend or family member is experiencing symptoms of a mental health issue or reaching out for help, below are some ways you can offer support.
Getting Started
Remember, you don’t have to be an expert or have all of the answers to start the conversation about your loved one’s mental health. Getting the conversation started is one of the most important steps in offering your support. Express a willingness to listen and offer reassurances that you plan to be there for them. Avoid criticisms or judgments regarding their thoughts and feelings. Showing patience and compassion will go a long way in helping your loved one feel comfortable expressing themselves.
If your loved one is showing signs of a mental illness, encourage them to talk with a mental health provider.
Educate Yourself
Mental illness is complex and treatment efficacy varies. Learning about your loved ones condition will help you offer appropriate support, know when something isn’t going well, and will also help you see improvements in their condition while they’re receiving care.
Further, understanding how the illness functions will help you maintain a compassionate view of your loved one. Sometimes, it can be easy for family members or friends to wonder, “Why can’t they just snap out of it?” With more knowledge of how their mental illness works it is easier to understand that their thoughts and behaviors are manifestations of their mental illness, not deliberate choices.
While understanding the signs, symptoms, and processes of mental illness is beneficial alone, be sure to also gather information on treatment options and available resources. It is also important to set realistic expectations on your loved one. Learning more about how the illness and treatment work it will be easier to maintain realistic expectations.
Get Involved
For people struggling with mental illness, completing everyday tasks can feel like a huge undertaking. Offering to help your loved one check items of their to-do list, assisting them in getting to appointments, or helping them pick up medications can ease some stress.
Depending on your circumstances, involvement in the treatment process may be acceptable. Your loved one would need to allow you to have access to information. If they are open to your involvement, speaking with their treatment professional will help you gain insight into their prognosis, recovery timeline, and will give you an opportunity to find out how to best support them from their clinicians eyes.
Be aware that caution is necessary in this area. It is very important to understand that you should not attempt to control the treatment process or use your audience with the mental health professional to criticize, demean, or belittle your loved one. The focus should remain on helping them get well.
Seek Out Support
You won’t be able to offer support for your loved one if you’re running on fumes. Entering counseling or attending support groups are great ways to find others who understand what you’re going through. Professionals can assist you in setting boundaries, coping with your own emotional responses to the situation, and offer a safe space to process what is going on around you. Support groups will expose you to other individuals who are experiencing a very similar reality to your own. This shared experience can help you feel less alone on your journey.
Retaining your identity is vital, so continue to do things for yourself. Supporting a loved one through a mental illness is challenging, but you do not have to do it alone.
Inspire Hope
Remind your loved one how much courage it takes to ask for help and face their illness. Let them know that recovery is possible and you will be there for them along the way.
If you are in need of counseling to help you through supporting a loved one with mental illness, please contact MLS Mindful Therapy through our contact page or calling 724-209-4970.
Sources
1. Talk About Mental Health. (2020, December 22). Mentalhealth.gov. https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/friends-family-members
