Have you felt the consequences of a mental health issue?
Do you think people can get the help that they need
Mental health is challenging for families.
There is help for those in need.
Violence continues to be a problem. Things need to change so that everyone can feel safe.
Mental health issues are increasingly taking on a form that no one anticipated. Every parent of a five-year-old to a college senior will be concerned if their child is safe at school or in any public setting.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, around 3.2 million people aged 12–17 years in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in 2017. This represents 13.3% of all teenagers in the U.S. People with depression often also have anxiety disorders.
We must address the problem across the board, from substance use to various mental health issues. We cannot afford to sit back and react to the following incident. And we cannot afford to let the stigma prevent people from getting the help they need.
“Not surprisingly, there has been a mismatch between the enormous impact of mental illness and addiction on the public’s health and our society’s limited commitment to addressing these problems.”~ John Campo
Too many young people are in pain.
Too many young people are in pain with mental health and substance use disorders. We need to pay attention to their issues on a deeper level.
Too many people cannot manage their mental health issues. They may use substance use, violence, or self-inflicted harm to cope.
As the years go by, more of our kids are affected.
All of us have felt the stigma of mental health. It is difficult to talk about mental health issues openly.
While we all have so much in common, we each have the traits that make us unique. Let’s encourage each other to celebrate our differences and reach out to those struggling, especially our young people.
Families need your support. They don’t need to hide in shame if their child has a mental health issue, a substance use issue, or something else that doesn’t fit the norm. We need to become a community that cares, even if all we do is be there to listen.
Understanding, compassion, and empathy go a long way to helping someone feel they have options.
Let’s all get more comfortable and openly proud of those seeking help. It always helps to encourage people to live healthier lives.
I have found ways to help myself and feel good about how far we’ve come as a family. One of the ways is by surrounding myself with people who understand and are supportive.
I would imagine that any parent whose kid does not live up to the typical standard of what would be called “normal” at any given time would agree that finding our comfort zone with something different is a lifelong process.
Here are some ideas about how we, as individuals, can help someone facing a challenge.
“We envisage a society in which mental health problems are an acceptable and in some ways valued part of the human experience.”~ Mike Slade, Lindsay Oades, & Aaron Jarden
Educate yourself about addiction and other mental health issues.
You will have more understanding and compassion for what others are going through when you have read information and gained knowledge. It helps to educate yourself about the issue. Let them know you are there for them. Find out all you can so you have different options for helping a loved one.
Support parents who feel the stigma and shame of their child’s struggles.
Parents genuinely need support when they are concerned about their children. It allows them to feel more comfortable seeking help and feel less alone. Being supportive, we help them take one more step toward healing and feeling accepted. They know that they have support from others that they need. It makes a difference to let others know you care. Knowing you have someone to talk to when you need them is comforting.
Seek Support for Yourself
If you or someone in your family is struggling with substance use or mental health issues, seek help. It is so important to support yourself during this stressful time. It does take courage, but people, even family, and close friends, cannot read your mind. They are not always aware of your struggles. When you feel anxious and stressed, remind yourself to think about what you can do to help yourself and take action. Get support for yourself so that you are not alone. You will find yourself in a better place for solutions and healing.
Let Go of Judging Others
When we accept others for who they are by embracing their differences and appreciating what they have to offer, we help those who feel challenged. It is easy to judge others who are unlike us, and I’m sure we’ve all done it occasionally. Taking the time to know more about someone and their situation, we often realize we have more similarities than differences.
There is no easy fix for our world. It feels like we have one problem after another these days. I’m hopeful that many of the young people who are now creating their own lives, many of whom have been affected by these issues, will be our future leaders who will help us create a new, healthier, peaceful tomorrow.
Let’s not forget all those who have taken steps to overcome their mental health or substance use issues and live productive lives. They are all around us, not visible enough, but they are there. Let’s celebrate them.
Recovery from any mental health issue, including addiction, must be acknowledged. We don’t do that enough.
“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” ~
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