Understanding the Barriers to Mental Health Treatment
The stigma surrounding mental health issues often discourages individuals from seeking the help they need. Men, in particular, are less likely to pursue treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Reasons for avoiding treatment include societal expectations to appear tough, reluctance to admit there is a problem, limited access to quality healthcare, fear of medication side effects, and mistrust of medical professionals.
How a Spouse’s Mental Health Struggles Can Affect Marriage
When one partner refuses to seek mental health treatment, the impact can strain the marriage. While your instinct may be to help your spouse improve their mental health, this approach can inadvertently foster codependency and enabling behaviors, making professional help seem less necessary.
Steps to Encourage a Spouse to Seek Treatment
1. Open Communication:
Begin by discussing your concerns with your spouse. Highlight the symptoms you’ve noticed and how these are affecting different aspects of their life, such as intimacy, finances, or relationships with children.
2. Suggest Professional Support:
Encourage them to attend a session with a psychiatrist or therapist for a formal diagnosis. Offer to assist by making the appointment and even attending the first session with them. Online resources like Psychology Today and Good Therapy can help you find local professionals.
3. Address Their Resistance:
If your spouse is resistant, ask why. Take note of their concerns and consider consulting with a treatment professional for advice on overcoming these objections.
4. Interventions for Co-occurring Issues:
If substance abuse is also present, consider connecting with an interventionist. While interventions are a last resort, they can often successfully motivate loved ones to seek help.
5. Educate Yourself and Be Persistent:
Learn as much as possible about your spouse’s mental health condition. Persistence and patience are key; change may come only after significant challenges, but staying informed and supportive will help.
Actions to Avoid
When supporting a spouse with mental health struggles, there are several actions to avoid:
- Forcing Social Situations: Many people withdraw from social life when struggling with mental health issues. Forcing them into these situations may worsen their condition.
- Ignoring Low Self-esteem: Verbally counter their self-critical remarks rather than ignoring or agreeing with them.
- Minimizing Their Feelings: Avoid dismissing their emotions as just a “bad mood.” Validate their feelings and encourage open communication.
Hope for Healing
With the right treatment, your relationship can heal and return to its earlier strength. Encouraging your spouse to seek help is a crucial first step.
How Pasadena Villa Can Help
Pasadena Villa offers integrative and behavioral therapies to treat psychiatric and co-occurring disorders. Contact our admissions team to learn more.
