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Mental Illness And How You Can Help WIth It

Mental illness is fast becoming one of the most common kinds of health issue in modern times. It’s estimated that 1-in-4 people will have serious mental and emotional health issues. Depression, stress, anxiety, addiction, they can all weigh heavily on a family. However, they weigh even more when they’re swept under the rug. If you’re worried that you’ve been doing nothing but enabling your loved one, it’s time to figure out how you might be able to help them instead.


Get educatedIf you’re worried that your loved one is dealing with emotional health issues like depression or anxiety, the first thing you have to do is stop yourself from jumping to conclusions. The taboo and often misinformed nature of mental health conversations in everyday life leads to some unhealthy conclusions, assumptions, and stigmas. Before you broach the topic, be sure to read up on what the modern face of depression looks like, or whatever else your loved one might be dealing with. But don’t try to apply your reading on a one-to-one basis, either. Getting educated should inform how you try to help, but mental health is a very individualized issue. Talk and, more importantly, listen.

Identify steps you can take.  There are a lot of steps that can be taken both inside and outside of the realm of medicine. However, it’s a good idea that you have some expert help. Psychology and physically, they are more apt to address the root causes of issues, the everyday contributors, and the types of therapy that might work best with an individual. Instead, you should be focusing on how to help someone get into rehab or how to convince someone to see a therapist. Then, you can work together with their counselor or doctor to address positive steps they can take outside that environment. Whether it’s taking on a hobby, learning meditation, staying away from mood triggers and more. It takes effort, time, and learning to help someone facing mental health issues, but it’s necessary if you want to help them.

Stay up-to-date.  Issues like depression, anxiety, and addiction aren’t a “one and done” matter. Many of them will play a part in someone’s life for months, years, and perhaps for the rest of their life. Even when it seems like the immediate danger is done, you should continue to be an emotionally supportive influence in their life. If they have someone they can talk to about what therapies and treatments they’re undergoing, their experiences, and the risks they’re facing, your loved one might have a much better chance of continuing to stay on the path of good health. Isolation, above all else, is one of the greatest risk factors of mental health issues.

Remember, you can help your loved ones, but you can’t save them. They have to be willing to take the journey with you, and sometimes you may face denial and anger when trying to help. You can’t force someone to seek help. Remember that it’s compassion that wins more people over in the end, not conflict.


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