How Can I Help a Loved One to Seek Specialized Help?

When a loved one suffers, it is natural to feel anxious and want to understand why she is feeling unwell and, especially, how you can help her feel better.

However, there are situations in which specialized help is needed for things to return to normal, this being the case for most mental disorders. Although the sufferer may be skeptical about this type of help, he or she may be supported to become more open to the benefit.

Why shouldn't anyone accept specialized help?

From our experience, we know that those close to a person who is suffering from a mental disorder may end up feeling helpless, confused, or angry because of their negative moods, which seem to never end.

It is important to know that there are many reasons why people may initially refuse to go to a specialist, not out of the ill will, but because the person may be so caught up in his negative states that he ends up not he can evaluate his options correctly, not being aware that he needs it even as a result of his condition.

Other reasons may be shame or even fear - social stigma is a real problem when it comes to mental health issues. Therefore, in trying to persuade someone to seek specialized support, you should be open, direct, and honest, but without being steep and critical, you should be able to persevere and be tenacious, but without being annoying and annoying, you should be able to be determined and firm at the same time, but also calm and gentle.

We know it's not easy at all, but it's important to know that such support can help.

What can you do to encourage a specialist consultation?

First of all, find out about the symptoms you notice

Access reliable resources where you can learn more about mental disorders. In more severe cases, it is advisable to consult a specialist yourself (clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychotherapist) to find out about the signs and symptoms you have noticed and to find out what kind of support should be given.

Support the affected person to become aware of their condition

One way to do this is to observe it carefully and discreetly, to identify some of the signs and symptoms of the negative mental state, and to notice them, in the simplest possible words, even when the sign or symptom is manifested.

At that moment the person will face the state he is going through and will become aware of it, but you must know that he can react by refusing to discuss the subject or by denying it. When the situation reappears, you can find a good time to rethink your opinion and repeat the advice. When you tell him what you have noticed, you should do it carefully, keeping in mind that the person may feel ashamed or afraid of his condition.

Facilitate access to accurate information

Many people reject the idea of ​​consulting a specialist because they do not understand exactly how they can be supported; For example, a skeptic will say, "You mean someone else understands better than me what's going on with me ?!" Such people must be helped to understand correctly what psychological or psychiatric support means.

For this, you can provide him with reliable information or resources, provided by professionals, which he can consult to better understand himself.

Give them different perspectives

An imagination exercise can be a solid argument in talking to a skeptical person about specialized help. So I invite her to imagine what her life will look like in the next period (days, months, years) if she will allow the symptom/difficulty she has to be present in her life and how it could be. or if he/she disappears.

In this way, the person will recognize the effects they are already feeling and will be aware of the things they have had and will be able to recover if they take proper care of their psycho-emotional state.

Show him the options without putting pressure

Specialized support is very important in treating or managing a mental illness. However, it is a reality that the healing/ameliorating effects or personal development and evolution will appear only if the person turns to the specialist out of his conviction and not just because he is pushed from behind - it takes commitment and involvement in his process. transformations.

But this involvement will also be obtained with the help of the specialist, so it is important first of all to reach him, without putting a lot of pressure in this regard (which risks attracting as much resistance), but presenting a tactful option.

Share your own experience or the experience of a known person

If you have been or are involved in a psychotherapeutic process or if you have gone to psychiatric consultation, you can talk about how you have been helped by it. You can use "before and after" examples to show how you felt before addressing that difficulty with the help of a specialist and how things are today.

You can also focus on how this approach has helped you find your resources and overcome your bottlenecks, as the things you need to do about yourself and your relationships have become clearer.

Help her understand that specialized support is different from what you can offer her

 "Aren't you supporting me? Why talk to a stranger and pay him to listen to me? "

As a friend or relative, you will always have a subjective perspective, which can sometimes prevent you from identifying the things that can help your loved one. In addition, you probably do not have the specialized knowledge.

A specialist will evaluate the situation objectively and professionally, following the appropriate therapeutic intervention because he has the necessary knowledge and experience in this regard.

Throughout this process, it is important to know that tact and patience are needed. You should also take into account that the aid does not end when the person decides to seek specialist help. During the treatment process, there may be several times when your help and encouragement may be needed.