One of the most important tips for coping with mental illness is becoming educated about whatever illness affects the person. Understanding the causes, treatments, and potential repercussions of the illness will help a person become better prepared to handle the difficulties of coping with mental illness. Seeking out others who suffer from the same mental illness, or finding a support group experienced in dealing with the particular illness can help a person feel less alienated and desperate. Even communicating regularly with friends and family can make the process of coping with mental illness much easier. Above all, one must be prepared to continue treatments, even when it feels as though the treatments do not work.
Isolation is perhaps one of the most damaging difficulties associated with coping with mental illness. People can begin to withdraw from friends and family depending on the type of mental illness they suffer from, which can cause feelings of despair. It is important to maintain relationships with others and be certain to express problems as they arise. If the mental illness is at times debilitating, it is important to develop relationships with professionals who can help a sufferer through those difficult times, and it is also important to develop a routine for dealing with such periods of time.
Some people may suffer from extreme types of mental illness that may require that person to check into a mental health facility. It is important to remember that this is an important step in coping with mental illness, not a type of defeat. Mental health facilities are designed to help people work through the issues rather than wallow in them, and the treatment should be progressive. In some cases, a patient may work through the mental illness enough that they can participate in mental health housing, in which they are encouraged to begin living normally again in a supervised environment.
Remember that coping with mental illness means not only confronting the illness and beginning to live with it, but also working toward either curing the illness or making a better life for oneself despite the illness. Exacerbating the issue with drugs and alcohol can prevent a sufferer from working forward, and it will make recovery nearly impossible in many cases. Avoid drugs and alcohol and only take medications that have been prescribed. Take only the suggested dosage in order to avoid other health issues that may arise.