1 in 7 teenagers ages 10-19 years old experience a mental health disorder worldwide. A mental health disorder can significantly reduce a teen’s health, happiness, and quality of life. As a parent or family member, it can be extremely difficult watching someone in your family struggle with mental illness.
Family dynamics play a major role in a teen’s mental health and well-being, for better or for worse. In this article, you’ll learn more about why the role of family in mental health matters and how your family can support your child’s recovery journey. At CTRLCare, we are a mental health treatment center in Princeton committed to providing comprehensive mental health treatment for teens and young adults.
Struggling with mental illness or problematic technology use? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your teen take back control over their life.
Family Plays An Important Role In Mental Health Treatment
The role of family in mental health treatment for teens is important. Growing up, it’s essential for a child to have various supportive, healthy relationships with peers and family members. Unfortunately, if a teen struggling with mental illness lacks a healthy relationship with their family, this can not only potentially worsen their symptoms but make them feel like they have no one to turn to for help or support.
This is because a teen’s family members are arguably one of the closest relationships a teen will have in their life. Therefore, if a teen lacks connection and support from their family, a teen may feel lost or trapped with no one to talk to about their mental illness. If your teenager is seeking mental health treatment or about to, it’s critical that your family supports and even immerses yourself in the process of your teen receiving mental health treatment.
4 Ways Families Can Help Support Their Child’s Recovery
So, you know that the role of family mental health treatment is important. But how do you express your support and actively engage in helping your teen’s recovery journey? Read on to learn the different ways in which you can help support your child while receiving mental health treatment.
Attend Family Therapy Sessions
First, consider attending family therapy sessions with your teen. This is because although your teen may be the one struggling with mental illness, this ultimately can hurt the whole family unit. Family therapy offers the opportunity to rebuild relationships that may have been fractured as your teen has struggled with their mental health disorder.
Provide Ongoing Support
From bringing your teen to different therapy appointments to attending family therapy sessions and simply being there for your teen, it’s important to provide ongoing support for your teen when receiving treatment. Seeking mental health treatment is not an overnight process. Therefore, provide constant support for your teen as they progress through their mental health treatment journey.
Schedule Dedicated Family Time
Consider scheduling dedicated family time with your entire family. This will help your family not only spend quality time but bring your family closer together too. Examples of family activities you can do together include camping, hiking, movie nights, game nights, going to church, going to concerts, and more.
Encourage Open & Honest Communication
Make an effort to promote open and honest communication among your family. It can be difficult for a teen to talk about their vulnerabilities/ what they’re going through, even among family members that love and support them. Therefore, try to keep an open mind and encourage healthy communication so your teen knows they can talk to you about anything during or after receiving mental health treatment.
Top-Rated Mental Health Treatment In New Jersey
The role of family in mental health is important. That’s why it’s important to constantly express your love, support, and actively attend family therapy sessions to help bring your family closer together and show that you will always be there to help your teen before, during, and after receiving adolescent family mental health recovery treatment.
CTRLCare offers a range of mental health treatments and technology addiction treatments for teens and young adults. Our compassionate team of mental health professionals doesn’t just treat your mental illness but treats the whole person to transform their mind, body, and spirit for the better.
Are you or someone you know struggling with mental illness or problematic technology use? Contact us today to learn how we can help!
