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When Family Doubts Your Mental Health: How to Protect Yourself and Seek Support · Mentor365 Services, Inc.

• 0:01
  Hey guys, it's Dina from the Royal Blue Candle, also known as Mentor365 Services.
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  So today's topic is on when family struggles with mental health,
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  we need to be more compassionate.
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  We need to have some clarity and have some practical steps, right?
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  So you're not alone. If you ever felt dismissed by a family member when you
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  spoke about your mental health, You know how isolating that can be.
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  The idea that mental challenges are not real or you are not worthy of concern
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  can sting deeply, especially when people closest to you seem unconvinced.
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  So in this episode, I'll walk you through understanding why this happens,
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  practical steps to protect your well-being, ways to seek support,
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  and compassionate approaches for conversation with loved ones.
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  So the goal is to help you feel seen, supported, empowered to take concrete
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  actions that improve your daily life.
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  So first thing is validate your own experience. Your feelings are real and they are mattered.
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  Anxiety, depression, burnt out, trauma, or sleep, trouble are not a sign of weakness.
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  They are a signal your brain and body send when they need care.
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  If you name what you are feeling, I'm anxious, I'm exhausted,
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  I'm having trouble sleeping, you create a clear map of what's happening and where to start.
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  This clarity not only helps you seek appropriate help, but also make it easier
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  to communicate with others, including family who may be skeptical.
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  Remember, you deserve support, not debate about your reality.
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  Next, build a small trusted support network.
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  Start with one or two people who have demonstrated listening and empathy in
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  the past, whether it's a friend, a partner, or a co-worker or a teacher.
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  Share your experience in simple terms, like I've been dealing with persistent
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  anxiety for a few months. I'm seeking help from a therapist.
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  You don't have to disclose every detail all at once, and you don't owe anyone
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  your entire medical history. If you can, look for a local support group or an
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  online community where people understand what you are going through.
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  You don't have to prove your experience to anyone.
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  You deserve validation from those who genuinely listened.
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  Professional support is a cornerstone of recovery and resilience.
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  A mental health professional like a therapist, a counselor, or a psychiatrist
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  can validate your experience, teaching coping skills, and help you navigate
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  conversation with family.
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  If cost or access is a barrier, explore low-cost clinics, university training clinics.
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  Telehealth options, or workplace or school resource like EAP program,
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  which is employee assistance program.
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  If you ever feel in immediate danger or at a risk of harming yourself,
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  seek urgent help by contacting emergency services or a crisis line in your country.
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  Your safety matters first.
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  When it comes to conversation with your family, preparation helps a lot.
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  Choose a calm moment. Avoid high stress time or recent conflict.
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  Use I statement to center your experience and reduce defensiveness.
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  Like for example, I've been feeling overwhelmed and I'm taking steps to get support.
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  I really appreciate your support as i go
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  through this process boundaries are essential
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  it's okay to pause a difficult conversation
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  if it's become dismissive or
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  harmful i'm not going to discuss this right
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  now i'll revisit when we
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  are calmer providing simple accessible
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  information can also help a short
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  note from your clinician or our repable resource
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  can offer a context without overwhelm your
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  loved ones if there's someone in your family both you and they trust consider
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  inviting them to help facilitate the conversation there are practical steps
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  you can take to protect your well-being even if you're not ready to tell your
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  family start with the basic safety and grounding.
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  Establish regular sleep, balanced meals, gentle movement, and time outdoors if possible.
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  Grounded techniques like slow, deep, breathe, box breathing,
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  or short walk can help you stay present during moments of distress.
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  Keep a mood or symptom journal for a week.
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  This record isn't to persuade others instantly. It's to provide a concrete base
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  you can share when you are ready and help you observe patterns over time.
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  If you're not ready to discuss your mental health, you can set boundaries while you pursue care.
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  A simple approach might be, I'm getting support for my well-being,
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  and I appreciated respect for my boundaries.
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  You don't owe a full explanation, especially if sharing could lead to harm or hostility.
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  And remember, healing is a process that unfolds at your pace.
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  Safety plan is also important. If you are in an environment that feels unsafe
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  or you fear abuse, your safety is the top priority.
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  Identify local resources, hotlines, shelters, or crisis center that can offer guidance and support.
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  If you're in a country where crisis lines are available, keep those numbers handy.
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  If you are connected to a school or workplace, Leverage campus counseling services
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  or EAPs to access confidential support.
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  And if you eventually decide to speak with your family, a few conversational strategies can help.
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  Find a calm moment, not during a heated exchange.
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  Begin with empathy. Acknowledge that families sometimes struggle to understand
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  mental health and you're sharing to help them support you.
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  Use the I statement again. Avoid blame and offer concrete information.
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  Acknowledge their concern and share what you are experienced and what you are doing to get help.
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  If a conversation becomes overwhelming, it's perfectly acceptable to pause and
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  revisit later or to involve a mediator, a trusted family member or friend who
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  can help facilitate a constructive dialogue, right?
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  And you know, professional resources, ongoing support should accompany the conversation,
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  which I mentioned earlier, you know, local mental health services,
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  telehealth option crisis line are essential
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  tools so the takeaway is that when
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  your family doesn't recognize mental health challenges you are
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  not alone and you deserve support you deserve
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  a network of understanding people and access to
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  professional who can help you build resilience and recovery
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  boundaries protect your well-being while you
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  pursue care acts of self-care like regular
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  sleep balanced meal movement and grounding techniques provide the foundation
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  for stability there is no obligation to convince others of your reality your
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  reality is validated by your experience and by the steps you take toward healing
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  i hope this helps have a great night god bless take care.