One in six Americans suffers from a mental disorder. Individuals must be diagnosed with a disorder before they can be helped. Unfortunately, there are those who don’t want to admit there’s a problem. These individuals need a successful psychiatric intervention which depends on four things.
Recognise mental health problems early
Family members have a responsibility to look out for each other. Learn to recognise the signs of mental illness. Specifically, be able to recognise depression. Depression is more serious than a person who’s sad from time to time.
Rather, depression lasts for long periods of time. Further, be concerned when a normally active person suddenly becomes withdrawn. They’re isolating themselves because it becomes difficult to deal with others.
Individuals with mental disorders don’t have the desire to do normal things. They may not want to get out of bed. It’s not uncommon to neglect your appearance and stop eating. Job loss is prevalent because it’s hard to focus on work. Anyone with questions can contact Pacific Psychiatric Intervention and visit the website.
Different types of mental disorders
The World Health Organization has a list of some of the most prevalent mental disorders. These include mood disorders which affect the mood so much it changes their way of life. Examples include:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Bipolar disorders
- Persistent depressive disorder
There’s a lot of confusion about the difference between depression and bipolar disorders. Those who are depressed remain low while a bipolar person has extreme mood swings. Additionally, a bipolar person has periods of depression followed by a manic period. There is a bipolar condition wherein individuals are manic and depressed at the same time.
Get over the stigma of needing help
Unfortunately, some people look at individuals with psychiatric problems negatively. For some reason, needing psychiatric help is viewed as a weakness. The reality is persons who seek help are very strong. It takes a lot of strength to admit you need help and go forward with treatment. Don’t let this stigma make you feel ashamed.Rather, getting help should make you feel empowered.
Get professional help
Family members need to get advice from a professional early on. Ask for help at the earliest sign there may be a problem. Individuals get sicker the more time that passes. Meet the crisis head-on with urgency. Families shouldn’t try to hold an intervention on their own. It’s hard to tell how a person in crisis will respond. The professional tells the family what assistance their loved one needs. Further, they’re available to help with the intervention.
No one wants to feel like they’re being attacked. The family needs to prepare for what they’re going to say. Let the person know they’re loved and you’ve got their back. Tell them the family will be there for support. Treat the loved one with respect and never use their mental illness against them.
Stay involved
Being there for a loved one means offering support during treatment. Always ask them how it’s going with therapy. Offer help if needed and don’t get discouraged. Give encouragement on bad days and be a cheerleader on good days.
Ask questions when a family member’s behaviour changes. Get help quickly if a mental health disorder is suspected. Don’t let the person suffer in silence. Offer love and support and contact a professional.
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Image credit: Freepik
Peter Wallace has been an advocate for mental health awareness for years. He holds a master’s degree in counselling from the University of Edinburgh.
