How to Help Loved Ones with a Stress Response Syndrome
Encourage treatment., Suggest therapy., Discuss the need for medication., Try group therapy., Attend a support group., Talk about a treatment center.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Encourage treatment.
You may notice that your loved one is going through something and needs help.
Your loved one may not even know what they have, or want to acknowledge that there is something wrong.
You should encourage your loved one to seek treatment, but you cannot force them.
Don’t issue ultimatums.
Instead, tell your loved one you are worried and think they would benefit from help.You may tell your loved one, “I care about you, and I am worried.
Since this change happened, you have had trouble coping.
I think you should get help so you can get better.” Offer to help your loved one get treatment.
Offer to help make appointments, drive them there, make arrangements with school, their job, or family.
Be any help they need.
If you confront your loved one with kindness and compassion they are more likely to accept your help and advice. -
Step 2: Suggest therapy.
Therapy is one of the best treatments for stress response syndrome.
Talk therapy is often used to help the person.
Talk therapy allows your loved one to talk privately with a trained mental health professional.
Your loved one can talk about the stressor or major life change, and work through the feelings.
The therapist can help your loved one develop coping skills.Cognitive behavioral therapy may be used to help your loved one replace negative and unhealthy thoughts with healthier ones.
Some mental health professionals may use art therapy, activity therapy, music therapy, or other types of therapy to help treat stress response syndrome.
To find a therapist, you can talk to your medical provider or local hospital.
Look into local mental health clinics to see if they treat stress response syndrome.
You can also search online for therapists who treat the condition in your area.
Read their reviews and check their credentials as you search for them. , Medications are not used to treat stress response syndrome; however, medications may be used to treat underlying or co-occurring problems, such as an anxiety disorder or depression.For example, your doctor may prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat the depression developed alongside the stress response syndrome.
Other medications, like benzodiazepines, can be addicting and should be avoided in the long-term treatment of anxiety.
Medication may also be prescribed for insomnia., Group therapy may be an option for your loved one.
Dealing with the symptoms of stress response syndrome can be difficult.
Group therapy allows a safe environment for your loved one to discuss their symptoms and learn how others have dealt with the same issues.
Group therapy also helps with social skills and keeps your loved one from being too isolated.Your loved one may also benefit from family therapy.
Family therapy is helpful if there are problems in the family caused by or that led to the stress response syndrome. , Your loved one may benefit from a support group.
Support groups are not therapy, but independently led groups of people suffering from the same disorder.
Support groups offer social support, which is important for recovering from trauma and major life changes.
In a support group, your loved one can meet people who have suffered similar experiences.Your loved one can look for a support group specific to their major life change.
There are support groups for divorced people, cancer survivors, those going through grief or bereavement, and similar issues.
Search the internet for a support group in your area.
You can also contact your local mental health clinic or hospital and ask them if they know of any support groups in the area.
The National Association of Mental Illness (http://www.nami.org/) is a good place to start to look for support groups.
You may also want to consider drop-in centers, which are places that your can go during the day for support and activities. , Some people with stress response syndrome may benefit from going to an inpatient treatment center.
These treatment centers help if the symptoms have begun to significantly interfere with your daily life, if you’ve develop another mental condition, or if you have an addiction problem.Inpatient treatment centers may help them learn coping and stress-relieving skills.
Your loved one will also have access to therapy in an inpatient treatment center. -
Step 3: Discuss the need for medication.
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Step 4: Try group therapy.
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Step 5: Attend a support group.
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Step 6: Talk about a treatment center.
Detailed Guide
You may notice that your loved one is going through something and needs help.
Your loved one may not even know what they have, or want to acknowledge that there is something wrong.
You should encourage your loved one to seek treatment, but you cannot force them.
Don’t issue ultimatums.
Instead, tell your loved one you are worried and think they would benefit from help.You may tell your loved one, “I care about you, and I am worried.
Since this change happened, you have had trouble coping.
I think you should get help so you can get better.” Offer to help your loved one get treatment.
Offer to help make appointments, drive them there, make arrangements with school, their job, or family.
Be any help they need.
If you confront your loved one with kindness and compassion they are more likely to accept your help and advice.
Therapy is one of the best treatments for stress response syndrome.
Talk therapy is often used to help the person.
Talk therapy allows your loved one to talk privately with a trained mental health professional.
Your loved one can talk about the stressor or major life change, and work through the feelings.
The therapist can help your loved one develop coping skills.Cognitive behavioral therapy may be used to help your loved one replace negative and unhealthy thoughts with healthier ones.
Some mental health professionals may use art therapy, activity therapy, music therapy, or other types of therapy to help treat stress response syndrome.
To find a therapist, you can talk to your medical provider or local hospital.
Look into local mental health clinics to see if they treat stress response syndrome.
You can also search online for therapists who treat the condition in your area.
Read their reviews and check their credentials as you search for them. , Medications are not used to treat stress response syndrome; however, medications may be used to treat underlying or co-occurring problems, such as an anxiety disorder or depression.For example, your doctor may prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat the depression developed alongside the stress response syndrome.
Other medications, like benzodiazepines, can be addicting and should be avoided in the long-term treatment of anxiety.
Medication may also be prescribed for insomnia., Group therapy may be an option for your loved one.
Dealing with the symptoms of stress response syndrome can be difficult.
Group therapy allows a safe environment for your loved one to discuss their symptoms and learn how others have dealt with the same issues.
Group therapy also helps with social skills and keeps your loved one from being too isolated.Your loved one may also benefit from family therapy.
Family therapy is helpful if there are problems in the family caused by or that led to the stress response syndrome. , Your loved one may benefit from a support group.
Support groups are not therapy, but independently led groups of people suffering from the same disorder.
Support groups offer social support, which is important for recovering from trauma and major life changes.
In a support group, your loved one can meet people who have suffered similar experiences.Your loved one can look for a support group specific to their major life change.
There are support groups for divorced people, cancer survivors, those going through grief or bereavement, and similar issues.
Search the internet for a support group in your area.
You can also contact your local mental health clinic or hospital and ask them if they know of any support groups in the area.
The National Association of Mental Illness (http://www.nami.org/) is a good place to start to look for support groups.
You may also want to consider drop-in centers, which are places that your can go during the day for support and activities. , Some people with stress response syndrome may benefit from going to an inpatient treatment center.
These treatment centers help if the symptoms have begun to significantly interfere with your daily life, if you’ve develop another mental condition, or if you have an addiction problem.Inpatient treatment centers may help them learn coping and stress-relieving skills.
Your loved one will also have access to therapy in an inpatient treatment center.
About the Author
Teresa Perry
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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