What should I expect from family and friends?
Sometimes it seems like there’s a fine line between a mental health problem and being a teenager! Every family is different and not everyone experiences the same reactions. Here are some responses you can prepare yourself for. Your family and friends may not take you seriously. They may think you’re just being dramatic. If you’re dealing with an addiction or substance use issue, you’re probably dealing with a lot of mixed messages from people who are close to you. It might be about what is or is not okay when it comes to drinking, drugs, and addiction. Or your family could be understanding from the start. We can understand that it’s hard to accept that either one could be your situation, but don’t let it stand in your way of getting help!
Having family and friends understand your illness and support your recovery may be a work in progress. You can try to help them understand by being very specific about what’s going on with you. Or maybe writing them a letter if it’s hard to talk about it.
If they want to help, they can consider joining a support group, seeing a family therapist with you, or taking a class like NAMI’s Family to Family program. If they want help understanding what you’re dealing with, and talking isn’t enough, they can do their own research.
If you don’t find the support you need from family, you can find other people to be your supporters. Maybe someone at school, a mentor, a counselor, someone from a youth group.
“Ever since my mom did the NAMI Family to Family program, she’s been sending me articles and asking me questions. I send her stuff, too, and it really helps to start the conversation. There’s less pressure on her to know or understand right away. And less pressure on me to tell her everything she needs to know about this stuff.”
“Go to the right people, people that are in your corner that can help you, not somebody that’s going to break you down.”