Family Support plays a Pivotal Role in Tackling Mental Health Issues

Family relationships can substantially affect mental health, behavior and even physical health. Numerous studies have shown that social relationships, particularly family relationships, can have both long- and short-term effects on one's mental health. Depending on the nature of these relationships, mental health can be enhanced or impacted negatively.

There are two sides to mental health and they are:

1. Preventive Mental Disorders
2. Restoring Mental Health

• Prevention of mental disorders

The family is the first society is child is born into. That is the first point of call for any child. The lifestyle of the parents, Uncles, Aunts and other family members go a long way in preventing or causing mental disorders.

How can this be you may ask and this is valid. I will try to explain in a bit.

1. Show of favoritizm : This is a major issue in families these days. The moment you show no favoritizm in the family, a child’s mental health is balanced. The child feels loved and wanted .
2. Use of language : Use of language is a key to preventing mental disorder in a child. What is said sticks in the heart of a child and this can cause dysfunction in the life of the child. 
3. Lack of Time : The more we stay away from the family, the more we lose the child. This results in having your children depend on others to instill values and discipline. Time spent with a child brings a feeling of love, acceptance and mingling.

•  Restoring and Maintaining Mental Health:   It is not out-of-place that you probably have lost it now as a family. What is key is that you find how to restore the mental health of your family.

Here are some tips :

1. See to it that you spend time together as a family. It may even be your spouse who needs to be restored and not the children
2. Not beat yourself if things have gone awry but make amends
3. If you are too weak to make things work yourself, seek the help of a professional
4. Understand that it is not anybody’s fault that it has happened but it is everyone’s duty to restore the fallen
5. Seek rehabilitation as a family. This helps to restore the mind of every member of that family.

Family And Positive Mental Health Impact

When family relationships are stable and supportive, a person suffering from mental health issues or disorders may be more responsive to treatment. Companionship, emotional support and often even economic support can have a positive impact on someone coping with a mental health problem.

Family And Negative Mental Health Impact

An increasing body of research demonstrates that negative family relationships can cause stress, impact mental health and even cause physical symptoms. Research has demonstrated that non-supportive families can detract from someone's mental health and or cause a mental illness to worsen.

Abuse

Both mental and physical abuse can lead to negatively impacted mental health . When a child is abused, a mental health problem can occur and require a life-long need for management. Depending on the seriousness of abuse, the amount of time it has occurred, and the person's existing mental health, the symptoms of a mental disorder can be profound and require years of treatment. The extent of the impact of abuse on children and young adults is still being studied.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress can detract from both mental and physical health. Over time, this stress can lead to the development of a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression. Chronic stress within a family is a particular concern as it often leaves the sufferer with few options for stress relief.