Living with Mental Health Conditions

Section Summary

This section explores topics such as:

Living with mental health conditions
How to talk about mental health conditions with family, friends, and other loved ones
Seeking treatment
Resources to navigate life with mental health conditions

You and Your Needs Are Unique!

Living with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression or others, can, at times, make life more difficult, but it’s important to remember that these challenges do not define a person, and it is possible to live a full and happy life despite them.

It’s also important to recognize that mental health challenges among young people are a very real issue that affect youth all across the world. Among these youth, every experience is unique, and people learn to cope in different ways that work best for them. There is no one-size fits all approach to living with mental health conditions, however there are steps one can take to identify the strategies that will assist them in managing and/or overcoming the challenges that come with living with mental health conditions.

Education and Empowerment

Young people with lived experience have shared that educating themselves on these issues can be an empowering way to work towards building confidence, managing symptoms, strengthening relationships, and feeling successful (defined by you!). We hope that this app will be a useful tool to build your knowledge base and gain resources to navigate and/or offer peer to peer support to someone who is navigating mental health challenges. In building this app, we utilized and referenced the below sources that are recognized as being trustworthy and credible. We encourage you to explore these sources if you are interested in learning more.

Sharing Your Experience

Living with mental health challenges can, at times, feel extremely isolating. Speaking openly and honestly about these experiences can feel especially difficult due to fear of encountering judgement and stigma, which can reinforce feelings of guilt, and shame. However, sharing parts of your story can also feel empowering and open the door to building positive connections with other young people and adults who can become part of a trusted support network.

NAMI reminds us that,

“There’s no right or wrong number of people to tell. Some people will benefit from telling many family and friends. Others may benefit by telling a couple of close friends and waiting to tell others. You are an expert on your own mental illness and can decide for yourself."

In the article, Disclosing to Others NAMI offers guidance on:

Reasons To Talk With Others
When To Tell
Who To Tell
How and What to Talk About

Another resource is the WISE: Initiative for Stigma Elimination who helps people of all ages make choices on whether and how they share about mental health and other conditions. Their programs help individuals with mental health challenges share their stories in a way that is safe, empowering and hopeful, while also working to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Remember that these decisions and conversations should be made by you and on your own terms!

Family

Family, especially parents and guardians, often play a huge role in the support network of youth and young adults experiencing mental health challenges.

Initiating conversations about mental health with parents/guardians can feel daunting, however NAMI reminds us that,

“Some conversations are 'bigger' than others, and it’s normal to feel uncertain or worried about sharing something personal or emotional.”

NAMI emphasizes the value of planning ahead and being specific. They encourage youth to:

Plan What You Want To Say
Find A Private Space To Talk
Explain As Clearly As You Can (Be specific!)
Discuss Possible Next Steps
Continue The Conversation

Sometimes parents/guardians do not respond the way we would hope. Even if you do your best to explain what you are going through, there still might be times when they don't seem to understand or are not willing to help you get the suport you need. In these situations, NAMI recommends young people:

Explain The Effort You’ve Put In
Let Them Know There Are Resources/Affordable Options
Talk To Someone Else In Your Family/Network

Learn more about how to talk to your parent/guardian about your mental health here.

Romantic Relationships

Talking to a partner about mental health can feel challenging. Individuals may worry that being honest about things we struggle with can push the people we care about away. In a healthy relationship, sharing information about health challenges can build trust and result in that person being a support for you when things are hard or you are experiencing a crisis.

“If you’re worried about disclosing, remember that many people with mental illnesses have strong relationships. Your partner probably already appreciates the personality qualities that have helped you live well despite a mental health condition. By sharing your health history, you share insight into not just your challenges but also your strengths.” (NAMI)

People may respond differently to you opening up about these challenges based on their experience and knowledge of mental health. Some need time to process new information, and it’s important to remember that just because someone needs time, it isn’t necessarily a sign that they won’t end up coming around and being supportive. This may be helpful for you to consider ahead of time so that you can be mentally prepared to offer space for a partner to process if needed.

With your wellbeing in mind, it is recommended to initiate these conversations when you are feeling like you are in a stable state of mind. It can also be a good idea to let someone else who you trust (like a friend, parent, or counselor) know that you are preparing to have this conversation with your partner so that you can plan ahead and touch base with them about how it went after the fact.

In situations where we don’t receive the response we are hoping for from our partner, it can be valuable to discuss the events with another person (or people) who we trust. Sometimes when we are too close to a situation, it can be hard to look at things objectively - meaning we have trouble separating our feelings from the facts and making informed decisions about what happens next. To ask for another person’s perspective can be helpful when determining if your partner’s reaction was appropriate. Remember that taking a step back to “pause,” consider the path forward, and/or ask for help is an appropriate and healthy response in any situation.

For more information and strategies for talking about mental health with a romantic partner click here.

For more information about healthy relationships go here.

Seeking Treatment

Many people with mental health challenges choose to seek and engage in mental health services which can look different for each person depending on their unique needs.

In Finding a Mental Health Professional, NAMI outlines a 5-step plan to, “increase the chance of finding someone whom you feel comfortable working with”.

Step 1: Think About Whom You’re Looking For
Step 2: Gather Referrals
Step 3: Make The Call
Step 4: Ask Questions
Step 5: Build A Relationship

Connecting to a mental health professional can feel like an overwhelming process, and usually involves a basic understanding of health insurance like the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid), private insurance, and/or possible out-of-pocket expenses. We recommend seeking support from a parent, caregiver, guardian, or trusted adult to assist with making this connection. If there are steps that you would prefer to navigate independently, it can still be helpful to develop and talk through a plan with someone who has experience navigating these health care systems.

Navigating Life with Mental Health Conditions

Navigating life with mental health conditions can feel overwhelming. There are ways you can seek support and request accommodations to better suit your unique needs.

Youth Peer Support

Youth peer support workers (YPSWs) are young adults with lived experience of mental illness during childhood or adolescence who support young people receiving treatment in mental health services.

In this study, researchers examined the impacts of peer support services on positive identity development, enhanced social connections, observational learning, and enhanced autonomy and empowerment in youth ages 14-26. The data concluded that youth participating in peer support services experienced increased outcomes in all four areas. Researchers also found that, through the development of positive relationships with a peer group experiencing similar challenges, clients were able to experience relief from the significant hardships that are related with stigma.

Youth peer support services are available in Clackamas County. Interested in getting connected? Look at what's available near you.

Navigating School and Work

Navigating school and/or the workplace may feel especially challenging when living with a mental health condition. Developing a plan with parents/guardians, a trusted adult, partner and/or a provider can be a helpful proactive step to mitigate stress and connect to available resources. Education systems (K-12 grade and college) and workplaces in the United States generally offer accommodations to individuals with mental health challenges. An accommodation may be a change, adjustment, and/or additional service offered to support equitable participation.

Accommodations at School

Accommodation types may vary depending on state, district, and public vs private school, so it’s best to connect with an expert such as a guidance counselor, school social worker, or special education coordinator to understand what specific supports are offered by the school. The school may work with the student and family to develop a 504 Plan, which outlines accommodations, or an Individualized Education Plan, which is more specific and includes accommodations, goals, and support networks. A few examples of accommodations for may students include:

Additional time to complete assignments, tests, homework, etc.
Excused absences from classes for appointments
A quiet place to take tests and work on assignments
Modifications to the curriculum’s content and method of instruction
Technological supports to support diverse learning styles

Accommodations at Work

Employees with disabilities have the right to request “reasonable accommodations” at work under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under the ADA, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees unless the employer can show the accommodation “would require significant difficulty or expense” (EEOC). In most cases, it is the employees responsibility to inform the employer that an accommodation is needed.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission specifies that examples of reasonable accommodations in the workplace may include:

Providing or modifying equipment or devices
Job restructuring
Part-time or modified work schedules
Reassignment to a vacant position
Adjusting or modifying examinations, training materials, or policies
Providing readers and interpreters
Making the workplace readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities

For more information about the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit this link.