Supporting a Loved One with a Mental Health Diagnosis

Having a loved one go through a mental health crisis can be a challenging time not only for the patient, but the family as well.

When someone is going through a mental health crisis their judgment may be impaired. They may disagree with their diagnosis and say they are perfectly fine to manage their mental health on their own.

This can be a challenging time, and while your loved one is in the hospital, there are several things that you can do to support them.

Providing Patient History

Sometimes a loved one may not want their family to know their health information or be involved with the treatment planning. If that is the case, you can still provide their treatment team with any information that you may know.

It is important for the treatment team to have a good understanding of the patient’s history. You can provide a snap shot of their symptoms, functioning in the community and any concerns you have.

Education

You can learn more about your loved one’s diagnosis. There are various resources that can provide you with an understanding of the diagnosis, symptoms and treatment.

For example, if your loved one has a diagnosis of bipolar, it would benefit you to know the difference between Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2, and the difference between a manic episode and a depressive episode.

Another important thing to consider is what a typical medication plan looks like for someone with this mental health condition. Treatment usually involves medication management, therapy and a strong support system.

Educating yourself on their diagnosis can be overwhelming, but it can help you understand what your loved one is going through and provide you with some insight how to best support them.

Setting limits and Communicating

In some instances, when a patient is resistant to treatment, they may deny they have a problem and deny they need medications to manage their symptoms. Often, their symptoms and behaviors are the reason they ended up in treatment in the first place.

When your loved one is resistant, it is a good idea to set limits. It can be difficult to do, but it will ultimately benefit the patient. Examples of setting limits could be to watch the patient take their medications instead of trusting them to do it on their own.

This does not necessarily mean you do not trust them, it means you want them to be accountable and sticking to their treatment plan. Another example would be to have open dialog about how you all can support each other in understanding and working through their mental health diagnosis as a team.

Combine Support Methods — Get Help, Today

All three of these support methods can work in tandem to help you and your loved one have a better treatment experience and take positive steps forward in the journey to better mental health. Reach out to us today by calling us at 512-440-4800 or contacting us online to learn more about how our mental health programs can help you or your loved one.