When you fall in love and get married, you want the best for your husband or wife, especially when it comes to their mental health. When you have a spouse with mental illness, it can feel challenging to know what to do. Montare Behavioral Health of Tucson understands how to help someone talk to their spouse about getting help. Our treatment program for mental health disorders changes lives. We offer compassionate, private care designed to help people develop better mental health.
Signs & Symptoms Your Spouse has a Mental Illness
It isn’t always apparent when you have a spouse with a mental illness. Different signs can happen, depending on which mental health disorder the person has. Still, looking out for some of the following signs and symptoms can prove helpful.
- Constant sadness or depressed feelings
- Anxiety
- Having panic attacks
- Isolating
- Avoiding social situations
- Change in weight
- Change in appetite
- Poor performance on the job or at school
- Trouble focusing
- Change in sex drive
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Hallucinating
- Paranoia
- Hyperactivity
- Loss of energy
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Using alcohol or drugs to feel better
Dangers of Developing a Mental Illness
Why a husband or wife develops a mental illness can be a mystery or there may be obvious reasons. One person might go through a traumatic experience that results in developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Still, another person may develop a mental illness like anxiety or depression and not know why. Some of the reasons a spouse ends up with a mental illness can include the following:
- Enduring a traumatic event, such as child abuse, sexual or physical assault
- Events that happen during military action or wartime
- Lack of healthy coping skills for dealing with life
- A highly stressful event such as the death of a loved one or a divorce
- A serious accident or illness
- Family history of mental illness
How to Help Your Spouse With a Mental Illness
If you have a spouse with mental illness, you no doubt want to know how to help them. A vital first step is to educate yourself about what they are going through. If they have been diagnosed, ask your doctor or another clinical expert to help you understand their condition. If you aren’t sure what’s going on, use these same sources to help determine what may be going on.
Talking to your spouse can help a great deal. They need to feel that someone they love cares about them. Speak using non-judgmental words and a reassuring tone. Let them know you understand they have a legitimate illness and want to give them the floor to talk about their feelings and thoughts.
Find help for your spouse and tell them about it. If they know you care enough to find options for treatment, they may be more likely to accept help. As well, it takes the burden off them to explore the world of treatment options. Often, spouses find it easier to go to treatment for mental illness when a facility has been chosen and they understand how it can benefit them.
Treatment Options for Your Husband or Wife With a Mental Illness
Getting help for your spouse with a mental illness isn’t as difficult as you might initially think it is. Residential treatment programs offer quality, highly effective treatment for mental health disorders. Because they are residential, the person receives vital round-the-clock care. They stay in a safe, homelike environment that allows them to focus on getting well.
We provide a multitude of types of therapies designed to improve mental health. This includes family therapy, which helps couples, their children, and other loved ones come together. Family members learn how to understand what the person they love is going through. Spouses learn more effective ways to communicate and extend a helping hand. We also offer a program designed specifically for veterans who need help regaining better mental health.
Prescription medication often makes a huge difference in the treatment of mental health disorders. Our staff includes physicians and psychiatrists who work with each person to determine what medications may help them. We monitor them for how effective the meds are and any needed changes in dosage or types of drugs.
Once someone completes residential treatment, they can transition into outpatient options, as needed. This means they return home and attend sessions for things like individual therapy, group therapy, or holistic therapy. Our staff of experienced medical and therapeutic experts assesses each person to see how they do while under our care. From there, they can recommend the appropriate next steps for continuing to enjoy better mental health.
Begin Treatment for Mental Illness in Tucson, Arizona
Do you have a spouse with mental illness and aren’t sure of the best way to help them? Montare Behavioral Health of Tucson has several ideas for how to get the person you love the help they deserve. Our treatment programs help treat a variety of mental illnesses with caring, professional therapeutic approaches. Our residential center provides a safe space to heal and prepare to return home with improved mental health.
If you would to talk about how to help your spouse, contact us today. We can help you figure out what will work best for your loved one.
