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Mental illness is a blessing in disguise for some. Those with a mental disorder can cause significant life changes and struggles to cope with the illness. It is vital to learn how to support loved ones struggling with mental illness, as they will often feel lonely and isolated during this challenging time in their life. One of the hardest things to watch is your loved one struggle with a mental illness.
With all the emotional, physical, and economic stress, it becomes even harder when there is no one to turn to who can understand and help them through their struggle. Often feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness take over as family members try to deal with an illness they do not understand. The reality is that many people struggling with mental illness have difficulty accepting the severity of their condition. Here are ways to support a loved one struggling with mental illness.
Compassion
Be compassionate and patient when your loved one is dealing with the symptoms of their illness. The stress and anxiety can cause them to act out or the possibility of harming themselves. Showing compassion for them will help you to understand their struggles and often lead to a better health outcome. This will also help you be compassionate towards your own struggles, which can feel frustrating.
Understanding
Understand the symptoms and struggles that your loved one is experiencing. There are several types of mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bipolar disorder. These are not easily understood by others and can often cause family members to be angry or frustrated with their loved ones. Instead, they should try to understand the illness itself rather than the behavior of their loved ones.
Showing them how to cope with the symptoms of the illness is important, as no one can do it for them. This will help them cope with their symptoms and usually lead to a better outcome. There is no cure for mental illness, but knowing how to cope with their challenges will help your loved one tremendously.
Encouragement
Show your loved ones that you believe in them and believe in their abilities. Encourage them to reach out for available support to achieve the best outcome. Mental illness can often cause great mental and physical pain, leading to an unhealthy lifestyle. Encouraging them to reach out for help will help them feel much better.
Acceptance
Accept their symptoms as they are and make sure they take medication properly. No one knows how to determine if your loved one is taking their medication properly. Make sure you monitor them, so they do not skip or cut back on their medications for convenience’s sake. This will help them not to end up back in the hospital because of their mental illness.
Therapy
Teaching your loved one how to cope with the illness is important. Sometimes therapy will help them to accept their condition and cope with it. Several methods can be used, such as yoga, meditation, and art therapy. These can all improve your loved one’s condition and lead to a better outcome in the end. You can help them enroll in online therapy by searching “online therapy” and finding a reliable, professional therapist in their area. They will be able to teach them how to cope with the symptoms and help them realize that they can overcome this illness.
Support Groups
Support groups are a great way to learn more about mental illness and help you to understand the illness better. There are online support groups as well as local support groups that are for people who suffer from mental illnesses. These groups are a great way to learn more about coping with the illness and understanding what your loved one is going through. Finding a support group can help you become better informed about mental illness.
Listen, Without Judgement
A good support system is important to help your loved one cope and succeed. However, you need to be careful that you do not show judgment towards their struggles and symptoms. Instead, listen to how they feel and try your best to understand the severity of their mental illness.
The reality is that many people struggling with mental illness have difficulty accepting the severity of their condition. Showing compassion for them will help you to understand their struggles and often lead to a better health outcome. This will also help you be compassionate towards your own struggles, which can feel frustrating.
Conclusion
It is important to reach out for help to understand the mental illness and help your loved one cope with their symptoms. With all the emotional, physical, and economic stress, it becomes even harder when there is no one to turn to who can understand and help them through their struggle. The mental illness can cause significant changes in their life, which are not easily understood by others.
By Maggie Bloom
– graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in communication and writing. In her spare time, she loves to dance, read, and bake. She also enjoys traveling and scouting out new brunch locations.
Member since November, 2021
View all the articles of Maggie Bloom.
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