Treatment FAQ

how to get mental help treatment for someone who refuses

by Mr. David Kuhlman I Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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If you’re struggling to cope with a loved one’s mental health issues and their refusal to get treatment, arrange some help and support for yourself. A loved one’s mental health issues can be mentally exhausting and stressful whether they accept treatment or not. Speak to a counselor or therapist about your concerns.

Reach out to your own support system. Talk to another friend or family member. Text START to 741-741 or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor. These counselors can support you and offer advice on how to help your friend.

Full Answer

What to do if a loved one refuses to get treatment?

If you’re struggling to cope with a loved one’s mental health issues and their refusal to get treatment, arrange some help and support for yourself. A loved one’s mental health issues can be mentally exhausting and stressful whether they accept treatment or not. Speak to a counselor or therapist about your concerns.

Is it normal for a loved one to refuse mental health support?

It’s normal to think this way, especially when you’re deeply concerned about your loved one’s well-being, but it’s maladaptive. The more demanding and controlling you become with someone who refuses to seek mental health support, the less likely they want to receive it.

How can I help my loved one with mental health issues?

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, offering them support can have more positive effects than you would ever assume. Giving them support to seek medical help and to participate in healthy activities is the first step to helping your loved one get better.

What happens if you don’t seek mental health treatment?

Many mental health conditions are progressive – they get worse over time without treatment. For example, if one struggles with substance abuse but seeks or receives no support, their misuse of drugs or alcohol will lead to dependence, a need to use a substance to feel ‘normal’ and functional.

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What can you do if someone with a serious mental illness refuses treatment?

The most effective of these options are assisted outpatient treatment (AOT); conditional release; and mental health courts.

How do you get someone to go to therapy when they refuse them?

Explain specific areas of problematic behavior. Most people who refuse therapy may claim that they don't have a problem. By pointing out specific problems without coming off as judgmental, you can help them see the need for seeking professional help.

What is it called when someone refuses treatment?

Informed refusal is where a person has refused a recommended medical treatment based upon an understanding of the facts and implications of not following the treatment. Informed refusal is linked to the informed consent process, as a patient has a right to consent, but also may choose to refuse.

How do you force someone to get a mental evaluation?

While you cannot force someone to get evaluated or receive treatment, you can encourage them to get help or raise your concerns with their primary physician. The person suffering from mental illness may resist treatment for several reasons.

What do you do when your partner refuses to get help?

What to do if Your Spouse Refuses to Seek HelpBe Gentle and Kind. Your approach to the situation will have a huge impact on how it plays out. ... Address Potential Underlying Factors. ... Try to Attend Counseling Together. ... Attend Online Counseling. ... Encourage In Whatever Ways You Can. ... Take Care Of Yourself.

How can you get someone sectioned?

Someone can only be sectioned if they meet certain criteria, these are:Their mental health problem is so severe that they need urgent assessment and treatment.They are a danger to themselves or others due to their mental health.

How can I help a mentally ill family member?

Try to show patience and caring and try not to be judgmental of their thoughts and actions. Listen; don't disregard or challenge the person's feelings. Encourage them to talk with a mental health care provider or with their primary care provider if that would be more comfortable for them.

How do I force someone to go to the hospital?

A person can be involuntarily committed to a hospital if they are a danger to themselves, a danger to others, or gravely disabled. They are considered a danger to themselves if they have stated that they are planning to harm themselves.

Can you get a family member sectioned?

When can my nearest relative section me or place me under a guardianship? If your nearest relative is concerned about your mental health, they can contact your local social services or community mental health team and apply to section you or place you under a guardianship.

Can you force someone into therapy?

Self-care, psychologists note, is critical when in the presence of others who can clearly benefit from therapy but aren't seeking it. “'At some point, you have to protect yourself'” these experts remind us, “'You cannot force someone else to get help'” (as quoted by Neilson, 2017, para 8).

What are the 5 signs of mental illness?

Here are five warning signs of mental illness to watch for, especially when you have two or more of these symptoms.Long-lasting sadness or irritability.Extremely high and low moods.Excessive fear, worry, or anxiety.Social withdrawal.Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits.

Can you be forced to go to a mental hospital?

The Mental Health Act is the law which sets out when you can be admitted, detained and treated in hospital against your wishes. It is also known as being 'sectioned'. For this to happen, certain people must agree that you have a mental disorder that requires a stay in hospital.

What happens if you give up on someone with mental illness?

There’s never a simple answer for approaching an issue this complicated. Mental health illnesses can hit the person suffering and their loved ones like a ton of bricks.

Who said to be respectful to a person with mental illness?

David F. Swink, former Director of the National Institute of Mental HealthTraining Program in Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy, wrote in a Psychology Today article that when talking to a loved one with a mental illness “be respectful to the person. When someone feels respected and heard, they are more likely to return respect and consider what you have to say.”

How can knowing the causes, symptoms and treatments help you?

So, knowing the causes, symptoms and treatments can help you target the problem and eliminate it as soon as possible. According to a Psychology Today article by Victoria Maxwell, a speaker on her lived experience of mental illness and recovery, informing yourself about the illness is vital. “Get the truth not the myths.

What happens if you give up on someone?

If they know they have someone by their side at all times, their problems will seem less scary and easier to handle. Mental health illnesses aren’t as easily understood as a cold or a broken arm. You can’t cure an unstable brain with aspirin or a cast.

Is seeking medical help a sign of weakness?

Society has compared seeking medical help to being “crazy” or as a sign of weakness. But therapy is vital to a healthy mental state no matter who you are or what you’re going through. “There is still an unjustified stigma around mental illnesses, but we’re not even talking about mental illness,” Reidenberg said.

Can mental illness hit you?

Mental health illnesses can hit the person suffering and their loved ones like a ton of bricks. You’ll never see it coming and you won’t even know it’s been infesting your loved one’s mind for at least months later. They could be smiling and laughing but also feel empty and painfully lonely on the inside.

What happens when someone you love refuses to get treatment?

When someone you love refuses to get professional treatment for their mental health disorder—such as depression, bipolar disorder, or substance abuse —this can put you, as a family member, in a very uncomfortable and difficult position. You care for the person and can see that he or she needs help, but feel powerless and unable to just stand by.

Why does my loved one refuse to move forward?

If your loved one refuses to move forward, it’s useful to try to understand what is behind his reasons for refusing treatment and then address those issues. A person may refuse to accept mental health treatment for many reasons, including: He may believe it indicates he is a failure.

What does it mean to distancing yourself from a sick family member?

That, a lot of times, means distancing yourself from the sick family member who refused treatment. Everyone has limits, and when said mentally sick family member has a long history of repeated abusive behavior I say family members have a right to protect themselves from harm.

How old do you have to be to get a psychotic treatment?

You care for the person and can see that he or she needs help, but feel powerless and unable to just stand by. You cannot force anyone over the age of 18 into treatment, unless they pose a danger to themselves or others or show signs of psychotic thinking (which is not very common).

Is it hard to keep up with meds?

It's really hard to keep up your motivation and keep on trying when so many things don' t go your way, when meds don't work or you have side effects to them. I know, I've been there too. It feels like you have nothing left to do, but actually there's always something else to try. This I know for sure.

Can elderly people not participate in treatment?

Other's won't participate, and, if they aren' t a danger to themselves or others, have a right to not participate in treatment. The author mentioned elderly people. Elderly people (probably over the age of 75 or so) didn't grow up with treatment options, and thus, many won' t participate in them.

Can an elderly parent be left alone?

If your family member who has depression is an elderly parent, you may have to arrange for someone to be with her so that she’s not left alone during the day when others in the family are away at work or school. Caring for someone is a full time job that is not easy. Good luck!

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