Watching loved ones live with emotional pain is a painful experience. Often, they exist under the fierce hold of mental health challenges, which sometimes leads to substance abuse. We desperately want to help but might not know how to do so. It helps to understand the principles of mental health management.

Applying those principles, though, isn’t a clinical matter. It’s a matter of loving the person close to you, and perhaps gently nudging them to consider mental health treatment. But even before getting to that point, here are some suggestions for helping your loved one with their mental health management. Contact Foothills at Red Oak today at 866.300.5275 for more information.

5 Ways to Help Your Loved One Manage Their Mental Health Treatment

Society has come a long way toward eliminating the stigma of mental illness. But there’s still more work to do. If someone you love is experiencing an anxiety disorder or other emotional challenges, you can be an essential part of their recovery through mental health management. Here’s how:

• Get smart about mental health and learn what you can about the issues facing your loved one. Get educated on the facts from reliable sources.
• Offer support and encourage help. Remind your loved one that they are safe and loved. Express concerns, but don’t lay blame.
• Listen and keep your patience in check. Your loved one is probably in turmoil inside. You need to hear what they have to say and not pass judgment. Listening is especially crucial in adolescent mental health management.
• Care for yourself. This action is hard on you and your family. Establish priorities and parameters and be clear with expectations.
• Work together to set goals for you, your loved one, and your family. Once you get into a routine, consider creating small goals, and celebrate them when met.

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

In providing mental health management support for a loved one, you may well encounter other challenges. For example, substance abuse occurs at a very high rate among people battling anxiety, depression, or related disorders.

There are many reasons for this, usually beyond anyone’s control. Someone struggling with anxiety, for example, may seek to “self-medicate” through alcohol or drugs. This action increases the risks of substance abuse.

When someone struggles with mental health and substance abuse at the same time, medicine calls it a “co-occurring disorder.” Treatment for co-occurring disorders is typically approached differently, as counselors work to address both conditions simultaneously.

Mental Health and Youth

Being aware of the signs of mental health problems (and substance abuse, for that matter) is especially crucial for young people. Our children are just beginning their lives. You don’t want them to lose this tender period of growth and development with an extended battle with adolescent mental health management.

The problem is one of national scope. Thousands of children struggle with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Many teens have anxiety, while others have depression.

These facts help explain why mental health management is so critical for youth and adults.

Mental Health Management at Foothills at Red Oak

At Foothills, our experienced staff works with boys between the ages of 14 to 17 who struggle with a wide range of problems, including substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, addiction to gaming, and mental health. Our staff specializes in the needs of this vulnerable population by providing a calm, safe, and welcoming environment. We offer several therapeutic treatments to provide healing, including:

• Adventure therapy
• Yoga therapy
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Individual therapy

Young people today live with enormous pressures — from work, from school, from family and friends. Sometimes the demands get too much, leading to anxiety, depression, or other types of emotional difficulties. You can help your loved one by exhibiting care and compassion and seeking a facility that provides mental health management tools. Let Foothills at Red Oak Recovery be that facility. Contact Foothills at Red Oak today at 866.300.5275 for a confidential consultation.