How to Support a Loved One Struggling With Their Mental Health

Living with mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or bipolar disorder poses unique challenges. Flare-ups of symptoms or episodes put pressure on whole families and friend groups. It’s not easy to see a loved one going through a tough time with mental health.

At Living Water Community Health and Wellness Clinic, aka Living Water Clinic, Dr. Erick Madrigal and our team of family medicine doctors can advise you, your loved one, and your family group on the best path forward. We provide diagnosis and treatment for a variety of mental health care needs.

If you’ve seen signs of trouble or mental illness symptoms in a loved one, contact one of our locations in Porterville, Lindsay, and Visalia, California, to learn more about the right way to help the situation improve.

Seeing concerning symptoms

You might know that your loved one has a mental health condition like depression or PTSD and be concerned about symptoms getting out of hand or becoming an active problem — for the first time or as part of a cycle you’ve been through with them before.

Or your loved one may never have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder previously, but you may start to notice signs of mental illness like:

• Significant changes in mood and energy levels
• Changes in sleep patterns like sudden sleeplessness or sleeping a lot
• Unwanted weight gain or unintended weight loss
• Delusions or hallucinations
• Indications that your loved one may be suicidal

Mental health problems are real and serious issues. In order to protect your loved one’s life and wellness, support them in seeking professional diagnosis and treatment, just as you would for a physical illness or injury.

If you or your loved one needs immediate crisis support, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline now.

Seeking professional help and support

It’s not recommended to try to cope on your own when someone you know is struggling with mental health struggles. You may not be able to give a loved one the specialized help they need. 

When you reach out to the compassionate, knowledgeable mental health professionals at Living Water Clinic, you can trust that we support our patients through the process of diagnosis and then work with your loved one on a treatment plan. This may include therapy, medication management, and other treatments. 

You can help by encouraging your loved one to seek treatment and by providing a kind, understanding environment for your loved one as they start to heal.

It’s also important to support yourself when loved ones are struggling with mental health. The ups and downs of their condition can put you through a lot of stress, and you may benefit from counseling, support groups, and other types of supportive care while your loved one regains their balance.

Get in touch with Dr. Madrigal and the family medicine team at Living Water Community Health and Wellness Clinic if you have concerns about a loved one’s mental health. Call the office near you, or schedule your initial consultation appointment through our online portal today.