Getting someone into mental health treatment requires recognizing the signs they need help, understanding their situation, researching treatment options, knowing how to start the conversation, and preparing yourself for denial. This article breaks down the steps and explains how BlueCrest Counseling can help.
Key Takeaways
- Getting someone into mental health treatment means recognizing warning signs, learning about their condition and treatment options, understanding the right approach, and preparing yourself emotionally. It may take several attempts before they agree to treatment.
- When it comes to treatment options, it’s important to understand the levels of care available and find the right provider based on credentials, services, cost, insurance, and environment.
- Once your loved one starts treatment, keep supporting them by attending therapy sessions, following through at home, and setting boundaries. Self-care is also important to ensure you’re there for your loved one and yourself.
Table of Contents
- What Are the Signs That Someone Has a Mental Health Condition?
- What Should I Do Before I Approach Them?
- How Do I Start the Conversation?
- How Can I Find the Right Professional Mental Health Treatment for My Loved One?
- How Can I Support My Loved One Through Treatment?
- Connect With BlueCrest Counseling Today
- FAQs
Introduction
According to SAMHSA 2024 research, among adults aged 18+ who had any mental illness (AMI) in the past year, only 52.1% received mental health treatment in that period. The gap can be attributed to many factors, but often denial, a lack of access, and stigma play a role. With a loved one’s help, they can overcome those obstacles, but starting the conversation requires effort.
If you have a loved one who needs mental health care, you should prepare before approaching them about getting help by understanding their condition and options, and knowing what to say. This article will guide you through those steps so you can help them get the care they need.
What Are the Signs That Someone Has a Mental Health Condition?
In 2024, 23.4% of U.S. adults (about 61.5 million people) experienced a mental illness in the past year, and 5.6% experienced a serious mental illness. Various behavioral, emotional, and social signs may indicate that someone needs help. These include:
- Prolonged symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, that don’t resolve within two weeks or more
- Withdrawing from activities they once enjoyed and friend groups
- Symptoms interfere with daily life
- Using substances to manage symptoms
- Changes in sleep habits and appetite
- Self-harm and suicidal ideation- these could be signs of a mental health crisis and require immediate attention
What Should I Do Before I Approach Them?
Before approaching them, you should educate yourself about their specific mental health disorder and treatment options. Manage your expectations, prepare yourself emotionally, and choose the right timing and setting.
- Educate Yourself About Their Condition: Understanding their condition will help you avoid saying anything that triggers them or minimizes their emotions.
- Research Treatment Options: Exploring treatment options can help your loved one feel more in control, and the right option can motivate them to get help.
- Prepare Emotionally: Expect the conversation to be emotional, especially if there’s pushback. With preparation, the situation is less likely to escalate.
- Choose the Right Setting: Choose a time of day when you know they will be calm and relaxed. Avoid confronting them during a heated moment.
How Do I Start the Conversation?
Lead with concern, not judgment. Use “I” statements and active listening. Avoid minimizing their feelings, ultimatums, and diagnosing them yourself. Prepare for pushback.
- Lead with Concern: Show you care about their emotional health and who it’s affecting, rather than being judgmental.
- Use I Statements: These can help you express concerns, needs, or hopes, set boundaries, and name specific observations. Examples include:
- “I’ve noticed you’ve seemed really down lately, and I’m worried about you” (instead of “You’ve been acting depressed”)
- “I feel scared when I see you struggling this much” (instead of “You’re scaring me”)
- Active Listening: Listen to what they are saying and show you’re acknowledging their feelings by summarizing the conversation and asking questions.
- Avoid Ultimatums: They tend to make someone defensive rather than open to help. If you do use one, only do so if you’re fully prepared to follow through.
- Prepare for Pushback: It may take several attempts before your loved one gets the help they need, but persistence and a steady, calm approach make a real difference over time. In the meantime, you should prepare for pushback due to denial, stigma, or past bad experiences. Rather than escalating, let the conversation sit and revisit it later.
How Can I Find the Right Professional Mental Health Treatment for My Loved One?
Finding the right mental health treatment requires understanding the levels of care and ensuring you’re working with the right provider.
Levels of Care
Mental health treatment typically spans multiple levels of care. Each level can be a primary form of care or a step up or down from a previous level, meeting clients where they are on the treatment spectrum. A mental health evaluation helps clinicians determine the right level for your loved one.
Here’s what BlueCrest Counseling offers:
- Partial Care: Clients attend a full day of mental health treatment several days a week while living at our supportive housing facility.
- Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP): Involves shorter sessions most days a week. With more flexible scheduling, clients can easily plan treatment around work, school, and other responsibilities. We even offer an evening IOP.
- Traditional Outpatient Treatment: Involves weekly or biweekly sessions, often as part of ongoing care.
What to Look for in a Provider
You can also ensure you’re working with the right provider based on the following factors:
- Staff Credentials/Accreditations: The clinic should have a multidisciplinary team of qualified mental health professionals. Accreditation ensures credentialed staff and that the facility holds itself to high standards of clinical excellence.
- Services Offered: The treatment modalities should match your loved one’s needs, especially if they need specialized care.
- Cost & Insurance: Insurance is available for mental health care. Most reputable facilities will verify insurance in advance so you know what’s covered.
- Personalized Treatment: The facility should focus on personalized treatment that considers your loved one’s condition, lifestyle, and goals.
- Environment: A soothing, comfortable environment is essential to mental health care.
How Can I Support My Loved One Through Treatment?
You can support your loved one through treatment by attending family therapy sessions, following through at home without being overbearing, setting boundaries, and caring for yourself.
- Attend Therapy Sessions: Family members are often invited to therapy sessions to learn more about their loved one’s condition and ensure they provide the support they need.
- Follow Through at Home: This can mean working through homework assignments with your loved one and ensuring they take their medications and get to their appointments. Support is necessary, but avoid being overbearing.
- Set Boundaries: These can revolve around time, availability, communication, finances, and enabling, helping your loved one learn accountability while protecting you from burnout.
- Self-Care: Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish; it allows you to keep showing up for your loved one. While caring for them, make sure you get proper nutrition and take time for breaks. Support groups can also help.
Connect With BlueCrest Counseling Today
Dealing with mental health challenges is a complex process, but it’s easier when you connect with the right resources. BlueCrest Counseling of New Jersey provides the support you require. We will ensure your loved one is matched with the appropriate level of care and can develop a treatment plan that matches their individual needs.
Contact us to learn more about our services.
FAQs
How do I get someone into mental health treatment if they don’t want help?
While you can’t force treatment on someone who isn’t in crisis or a danger to themselves or others, you can plant the seed, express concern without judgment, and keep the conversation open over time. Many people need multiple conversations before they’re ready to accept help.
What do I say to someone who refuses to get help?
Focus on expressing concern using “I” statements rather than ultimatums, and avoid arguing about whether the problem is “real.” Something like “I’ve noticed you’ve seemed really down, and I’m worried about you” is often more effective than “You need help.”
What’s the difference between outpatient, IOP, and partial care?
These represent different levels of care based on intensity: outpatient is the least intensive (weekly sessions), while IOP and partial care involve several hours of structured treatment multiple days a week.
How do I take care of myself while supporting someone through treatment?
You can take care of yourself while supporting someone through treatment by setting boundaries around your time, emotional energy, and involvement. Consider joining a support group for family members (like NAMI or Al-Anon). Caregiver burnout is common, and your own wellbeing matters too.
What should I do if someone is in immediate danger?
If someone is in immediate danger, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a local mobile crisis team, or go to the nearest emergency room. Don’t leave the person alone if you believe they’re at risk.
Sources
- SAMHSA. SAMHSA Releases Annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. SAMHSA.gov. https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20250728/samhsa-releases-annual-national-survey-on-drug-use-and-health
- SAMHSA. 2024 NSDUH: Mental Health Treatment among People Who Had a Mental Health Condition in the Past Year (Population Statistics Report 7). SAMHSA.gov. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt56771/2024-nsduh-psr7-mhtx-adult-adol.pdf
- SAMHSA: Mental Health Treatment Stalls for Youth and Adults. Behavioral Health Business. https://bhbusiness.com/2025/08/08/samhsa-mental-health-treatment-stalls-for-youth-and-adults/
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. Warning Signs and Symptoms. NAMI.org. https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/warning-signs-and-symptoms/
- SAMHSA. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA.gov. https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/988
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI Family Support Group. NAMI.org. https://www.nami.org/program/nami-family-support-group/
