A hopeless colorless world, where you’re all alone, everyone judges you in everything you do or say, and the constant feeling that you are and will never be good enough— this is the feeling of a person on the lowest level of depression. There are so many levels of severity in mental illness that a person can go through.
Mental health has been on the radar for many years, but it is more common now than ever. With the increase in unemployment, work-from-home jobs, and isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen a massive increase in mental health problems. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that one in five adults dealt with mental illness in 2020, constituting 52.9 million in the US. And these numbers are merely growing since then.
It is a major issue that, if not dealt with care, can damage a person to a great extent or, in some cases, can result in suicide. It is crucial to seek out patients struggling to cope with poor mental health among your friends and loved ones and offer your full support for their well-being. Support and acknowledgment can make a huge difference in their lives.
Here’s what you can do to help a loved one cope with severe mental health problems:
- Help them get professional help
Seeking professional help by enrolling for rehab at facilities such as the Delphi Health Group can prove beneficial when dealing with severe problems such as PTSF and substance abuse. Mental illness already makes patients doubt and blame themselves for everything. Getting treatment will make them see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Professionals can make patients look at their mental illness as a general physical illness that needs to be treated just as seriously. Moreover, it will also help you meet with other families and learn about their experiences in supporting these mental health problems.
- Educate yourself about the illness
How would you like it if you could feel what your loved one feels the whole time? You can never understand what they are going through unless you learn about their condition.
Education is a crucial step in showing support. It helps you understand how severe the symptoms are; helps you avoid creating any misconceptions; helps you understand their thoughts, actions, and behaviors. This helps you be aware of their condition, empathize, and help them out.
- Be a part of their treatment
Research shows that being a part of your loved one’s treatments can help reduce their symptoms and the chances of relapse and also help improve the family environment in general. Some treatment centers may not allow you to work with them, but it is a challenge you can overcome with a little effort.
- Listen and stay connected
Your loved one will tend to withdraw and would rather be alone all the time. Spend time with them if you live under the same roof. If not, text and call them regularly and make low-key plans with them to hang out. Doesn’t matter if they seem uninterested or cancel last minute. Just be sure you don’t include a lot of people for them to socialize with.
Induce empathetic listening in your actions. It means offering a non-judgmental ear and not immediately engaging in problem-solving. It helps validate your loved one that they matter, makes them feel acknowledged and understood, makes them feel you’re on their side, and encourages them to talk to you freely.
- Lower your expectations and acknowledge their feelings and effort
You mustn’t rush your loved ones to feel better instantly and give you quick positive results. Even getting professional help does not mean instant recovery. Lower your expectations and recognize whatever little effort they put in or the tiniest positive change they bring in themselves or their routine.
- Reinstate their confidence
People with mental health problems tend to lose their self-esteem and self-confidence. Include them in making collective decisions and let them make small decisions of their own. Appreciate whatever result comes out of it. Don’t pinpoint if their attire doesn’t match or if you have a better idea. Build up their confidence in every little way possible. Here are some ways to increase self-esteem for people with depression.
- Establish equality
Singling out people with mental health problems is a no-can-do thing. If you want some treatment-friendly practices to be engaged in your home, make it for everyone. For example, listening to everyone’s problems, concerns, and sides of the story and coming up with solutions. Rules for bad or aggressive behavior should also be inclined toward everyone.
- Take care of yourself first
Helping out your loved one can be exhausting and frustrating. You must take care of your mental health first. You need to be calm, patient, and hopeful. You cannot support a troubled loved one if your mental health is on edge.
- Mind your words
Mental illness can break a person. Saying harsh or insensitive words can worsen the state. Never say words like, they should snap out of it, you know exactly how they feel, they should think positively, it’s their fault, it’s only in their head, and much more. Instead, there are many other ways you can talk to them. You can tell them that you care, they can talk to you, you’re there for them, offer your help, and that they matter.
Conclusion
There’s always hope for everyone. Though your loved one may not see any light, you can always fill their seemingly dark world with your colors, love, and support. They may lack the motivation to get better. Following the points above will make a big change in their lives and your relationship.