Finding Hope in A Mental Health Treatment Center

Finding hope when you’re struggling with a mental health disorder can be a challenge. Inpatient mental health treatment may sound like a scary step, but these programs are designed to create hope for the future, not false hope, but real hope built on a solid foundation of care. We’re talking about the type of hope which changes lives.

If your head is filled with a constant stream of negativity or fog, the concept of a full, healthy, happy life may appear far, far out of range. It’s not. 

There’s hope in the possibilities. If you’re struggling, consider a possibility. Living with a mental health disorder is often complicated and stressful. And, if things aren’t working well, maybe there’s a possibility you need a little more; more support, more structured care or a more individualized plan. These adjustments could be big or even amount to small tweaks. Either way, finding hope usually involves surrounding yourself with people who understand your struggles.

Sometimes the biggest and best changes in life require a healthy dose of courage and a leap of faith. Lucida’s Florida treatment center is here to help you take this leap.

Learn more about the importance of hope in mental health recovery in this 2017 psychiatric journal article, “The Importance of Hope Against Other Factors in the Recovery of Mental Illness,” published by Psychiatria Danubina.

Supportive people bring hope. 

Imagine having a team of support always on your side, like your own personal group of bodyguards. This team would understand your mental health struggles and speak up to ensure you receive the best possible care—a group of caring people available 24/7. Life would be much easier, wouldn’t it? Just imagining this group of people brings feelings of hope and relief.

To successfully manage a mental health disorder, you need a team of support. Consider yourself the first member of your support team. As time moves along, this team will also include professionals who understand your disorder and how it fits into your unique circumstances. As you heal, your team will grow.

A residential mental health center helps you put this team in place. In the beginning, you may not be up to choosing the right people to join your team. That’s okay. 

You don’t have to do this perfectly. If what you’re doing isn’t working, start simply by opening yourself up to the possibility there’s an easier way.

Reach out to mental health professionals and ask questions. Ask your family physician if they can refer you to someone. Once you have a firm grasp of the situation, the solution comes much, much easier. You can also call to speak to one of our specialists at Lucida’s Florida treatment center.

Residential mental health treatment connects you to mental health professionals who can help you understand your disorder. These professionals become a part of your team. From this starting point, you can change your life.

Structured care brings relief and hope.

We’ve already covered the importance of support as a tool in your toolbox. Now, let’s look at structured care built on evidence-based programs.

Managing a mental health disorder can be exhausting. Too often, someone with a chronic mental health disorder ends up going to the mental-health equivalent of a dead end. When you spend years trying to find a solution, only to come up empty, life feels hopeless and frustrating.

Just by taking your situation to professionals equipped to handle your specific problem, you save yourself a whole lot of grief. When you seek help, please take the necessary steps to ensure it’s the right help for you.

A mental health treatment center worth its weight will understand a variety of mental health disorders. The center will use therapy models with proven track records for your specific experience. In other words, recognized therapies like cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) will be the norm. 

You should feel as if a weight is lifted from your shoulders from merely walking in the door. Surrounded by quality care, you can focus on healing.

This care should be structured and well organized. Look for a weekly schedule that includes daily individual therapy sessions, weekly group therapy, wellness checks from medical doctors and time for self-care activities like exercise. Even healthy food will be part of a well-run, structured program. 

Structured care also continues after the program with a clear plan mapping out therapy, self-care, diet and support.

Your only job is to heal.

Individualized treatment brings hope.

Sometimes, hope rests in smaller, gradual improvements. 

Mental health disorders often don’t respond to cookie-cutter treatments. While medical studies provide mental health professionals with guidelines, individualized recovery plans are necessary. Sometimes, mental health recovery takes time as you and your support team sort what therapies are effective for your unique situation. Hang in there. 

We live in an age with many, many mental health treatment options. If one isn’t effective, there’s another to try. Be patient. 

For example, Sarah arrived at a residential treatment facility because of a history of clinical depression and anxiety. Initially, she was given one of the many prescription options available, along with cognitive therapy. 

Sarah also learned mindfulness techniques and began meditating for brief periods throughout the day. Her inpatient stay meant she received a healthier diet than what she was accustomed to. Plus, she slowly added some physical activity to her schedule.

Along the way, Sarah gradually saw improvements. Initially, she noticed her depression and anxiety lift dramatically within a few weeks. She wasn’t thinking about suicide any longer. Still, at the end of the program, a mild depression persisted. 

While the depression didn’t impact her ability to work and parent, Sarah’s mild depression remained a problem. Sarah’s team needed a total of six months to find the right combination of cognitive therapy, yoga, meditation and medication to lift the clinical depression she experienced for much of her life.

Inpatient treatment brought hope and relief for Sarah. In aftercare, she and her team of caregivers came up with the best solution to keep the depression at bay. 

Successfully managing a mental health disorder often requires patience and the ability to recognize gradual improvements. As you become stronger, you can advocate for yourself. In Sarah’s case, it wasn’t enough to continue feeling mildly depressed. Sarah and her team wanted her to feel depression-free.

Tools for the long haul.

Life has stress, but having the right tools brings hope. When you live with a mental health disorder, it’s necessary to remain vigilant around life’s stresses. Experiencing too much stress can lead to a relapse.

Jeff was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in college. An addiction to drugs and alcohol brought him to Lucida’s Florida treatment center in his twenties. He and his support team carved out the right combination of sobriety, life changes, therapy and medication, to help Jeff thrive for many years drug and alcohol-free.

Read more about the frequency of substance use disorders and mental health disorders in this 2018 article, “Finding Hope for People Suffering From Mental Illness and Addiction,” published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

After marrying and having children, Jeff began seeing some cracks in his recovery. He noticed some episodes where he couldn’t sleep because of rapid thoughts. Cravings for alcohol started again. He called his team, which included his regular therapist. He went back to an inpatient program for a short period.

Jeff’s medication and recovery routine were adjusted. He and his support team realized he needed more time for exercise and rest. The stress of more family responsibility meant his bipolar disorder was more vulnerable to a relapse. 

As a result, Jeff scheduled more time off for fishing and trail running. Jeff’s first inpatient experience taught him to pay attention to red flags like insomnia. Because of the education he received, he caught the signs early.

If he had ignored these warning signs, Jeff’s bipolar relapse could have caused serious problems for his family, job and self-esteem. Instead, he was proactive and saved everyone time, money and pain.

During the shorter inpatient experience, Jeff learned how to fine-tune some of these signals. For instance, he worked to notice tension in his body; he saw how neck pain was often the first sign of doing too much. When he experienced this tension, Jeff learned to stop and meditate. Chronic mental health disorders mean taking extra care when it comes to the body’s stress signals. 

A solid aftercare program will strengthen your chances of continued healing after residential treatment is complete by providing you with mental health management tools. Always ask about what the program offers for aftercare. Ask if individualized aftercare plans are created when each person leaves the residential program? 

Good mental health programs won’t send someone back into the world without support, a plan of action and management recommendations.

Hopeful wellness.

Mental wellness is an integral part of everyone’s overall health. Finding the right mental health treatment can be challenging, but you aren’t alone. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, one in five American adults suffers from a mental health disorder. Ask questions, reach out to professionals and  speak up for what you need. Most importantly, treat yourself with kindness and celebrate each courageous step taken.

No matter what situation you may be in, there is always hope for a better life. Lucida can help you or your loved one discover the road to mental health recovery. Let us illuminate the path to health and wellness. Our admissions professionals are ready to help. Call us at 866.947.7299