How can we help people that don't want to be helped? This is a question I ask myself all the time and I realized something at work today. I'm writing this from a mental health perspective due to my job and what I do in that field but this can pertain to people in our daily lives also and a resolution is needed. One of the problems or things we deal with in our field is family members, friends, etc. calling about someone they know who may be going through a mental health crisis whether psychosis, schizophrenia or others but the person doesn't think there is anything wrong and won't get help.
It is a hard place to be in because this individual clearly needs help but they don't think they do. In Texas law or I'm guessing most places in the United States, an adult has to consent for services and it can't be forced on them no matter what. This makes it harder because no matter what this individual is going through, they have to want the help because if not there is nothing that can be done. There are other instances in which Power of attorney or guardianship can be given but that is a whole process and in some cases the person has to also sign the form.
What I'm trying to say is sometimes it can be hard when you see someone barely taking care of themselves physically, mentally, emotionally but there is nothing that can be done. Mental health is real and you'll be surprised how much people go through on the daily. I have learned a lot of this working in my field and as much as we do, there is still more that can be done. A dad called about his 39 year old son who after a while decided to take himself out of all the services he was getting mentally due to unknown reasons. He is now at home each day with his physical and mental health detreating.
There have been multiple efforts to get him help but at the end of the day he is 39 and his father can't force him to get help. He may honestly not be in the state to get help or know he wants help but that is the problem. Father was concerned and I reached out to his son asking him if he was okay and needed help. Of course he said he was okay and didn't need any help. I asked his son if he was willing to get back into mental health services and he declined which woke me up to something. The tone in his voice demonstrated that he wasn't okay and he was lost.
I was able to come through that conclusion with just a 2 minute call but imagine what his father goes through or the people around him on the daily. Imagine how hard it is day in and day out seeing their son, brother, friend like this. I read The Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Maté a year ago and it illustrated what normal is in our culture and how Illness both mental, physical continue to shape us. The book was released in 2022 and in 2025 things continue to get worse. There is only so much that can be done but at the end of the day there should be more. These people need help and it may not be up to them to get it because they are already lost.
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