Mental Health Guidance 

Family and Friends an Important Part of the Recovery Process

Our Wheaton Franciscan treatment team realizes how critical friends and family are to recovery and we know you might have questions. Here are some things you can expect when you or a loved one are in a treatment program. Find visitor services and amenities.

Inpatient program visitors
The Mental Health and Addiction Care unit environment is different than other hospital areas. Important information about visiting someone in the inpatient program.

Supporting recovery in the daily routine
Successful recovery must be supported in every area of life, and that includes home, school and/or work. The following tips may be helpful as you SUPPORT your loved one in his or her recovery from mental illness or addiction:

Self-care: Take care of yourself. When a loved one has an illness of any type, it is stressful for those who care about the person. You cannot provide support to another without giving good care to yourself. This includes making sure to get proper sleep, nutrition, exercise and health care. It is also important to make time for yourself to do what you enjoy.

Understand: Tell your loved one that you want to provide support in the best possible way. Ask the person if you can learn about his/her diagnosis and course of treatment. This can involve going with the person to an appointment and/or asking the person about his/her treatment plan.

Provide support for yourself: Consider joining a support group for those who care about others who have a mental illness or addiction. This is something you can do for both yourself and your loved one. Support from others in similar situations can help you learn about mental illness and addiction and help reduce your feelings of isolation and helplessness. Remember, you cannot do it all.


Provide hope to yourself and your loved one: Remember that mental illnesses and addictions are treatable and that although those with mental illness or addiction may need to make adjustments, they can live a full life and make valuable contributions to the lives of others.


Offer support in a respectful manner: Treat your loved one with respect. Sometimes the behaviors that accompany an illness make it hard to remember that he/she has the same rights as others to be treated with respect at all times.


Realism: Keep your expectations of yourself and your loved one realistic. This will help decrease everyone’s level of frustration.


Teach yourself: Become informed about the medication that your loved one is taking, including possible side effects and interactions with other medicines. Ask the person if you can help with medication compliance by providing a weekly pill box, medication calendar, etc.