Worried About Your Loved Ones Mental Status? 4 Tips To Get Them The Help They Need
If your loved one is suffering from a mental illness, it might be time to consider inpatient treatment. Unfortunately, mental health hospitals have taken quite a beating over the years, especially in the movies. The stigma created through these representations can make it difficult for people to opt for voluntary treatment. However inpatient treatment in a mental health hospital can be exactly what your loved one needs to get back on the path to a healthy future. Here are four steps you can take to help your loved one choose voluntary inpatient treatment.
Talk to Them Calmly
If you're worried about your loved one, and you're concerned that they may become a threat to themselves, or others, it's time for them to get help. While you're trying to convince them to seek inpatient treatment, it's important that you remain calm. Don't raise your voice, or become overly-anxious about the process. This can make your loved one feel like they're being attacked, which may lead them to become combative. Unfortunately, once the communication breaks down, it will become more difficult for you to convince your loved one to seek help.
Visit a Treatment Center Together
If your loved one is apprehensive about the idea of inpatient treatment, you can help alleviate the apprehension by scheduling a visit. Take the time to visit a treatment center near you. Encourage your loved one to ask questions and take notes. Once you leave, you can use the questions and notes as openings for conversation with your loved one.
Don't Single Out the Illness
If your loved one is suffering from mental illness, don't single out the "mental" portion. Mental illness is a disease, much the same as diabetes, or other medical conditions. Singling out the "mental" in mental illness, can create a stigma that will be difficult for your loved one to overcome. Remind your loved one that they would seek treatment for a medical condition, so their mental illness should be no different.
Offer Support
If you're trying to find a way to help your loved one through mental illness, remember that the most important thing you can do is offer support. Words of encouragement go farther than you might think, in alleviating the emotional pain your loved one is going through at this time. Let your loved one know that you're there for them, as they navigate their journey back to mental health.
If your loved one is struggling with mental health, use the tips provided here to get them the help they need. If you're concerned that your loved one may be a danger to themselves, or others, contact a mental health facility near you.