January 2021 ushers in a new administration on Inauguration Day, inspiring many Americans to think about our founding fathers and the documents that form our country’s backbone. Did you know that everyone is entitled to their own Bill of Rights regardless of their political viewpoints? Not the document housed in an archival section of a museum but rather a list of fundamental rights to which every human being has a claim. We’ve compiled a list of basic rights you deserve to enjoy and how to accomplish them.
The Right to Be Treated With Respect
Everyone deserves to be treated well by others by virtue of being born. Often during talk therapy or another part of a treatment program, a person discovers that they live a life that includes poor treatment from someone else. Such abuse can come from many sources. It could be an abusive partner, a family member who makes habitual negative comments to them, or a friend who continually puts the person down to feel good about themselves.
When these patterns go on long enough, it’s easy for some people to believe they deserve this degrading treatment. Therapeutic work can help dismantle this mindset, allowing a person to begin to refuse to accept such treatment. If the people in their lives continue to disrespect them, it can be helpful to create a list of potentially toxic relationships and decide if keeping them around adds to their lives or not. Even when it can be painful to do so, sometimes a person who refuses to respect them needs to be shown the exit.
The Right to High Self-Esteem
Besides reviewing how others treat a person, it’s equally crucial to ask your teen how they see and treat themselves. While no person feels fantastic about themselves 24/7, a healthy mindset means learning to reject automatic thoughts like feeling inferior to others or undeserving of love. Exercises like journaling and using positive affirmations can help retrain a young person’s mind to develop higher self-esteem. This makes it easier to think more positively about themselves, which aids in rejecting negative language and actions coming from those who have a vested interest in the person not having good self-esteem.
The Right to Plan an Exciting Future
When a person remains mired in the mental cloud of depression and similar mood disorders, it can seem as if there is no hope for a better future. Young people can become conditioned to accept that life will not change for the better. This belief drags them down, sometimes leading them to believe that they cannot accomplish their dreams. Even when an individual’s current life feels stormy and dark, sunny days are always possible.
Help your child take charge of their forecast and plan for brighter days. Have them write out what their ideal life would look like and encourage them to talk about it with a therapist, coach, or mentor. Implore them to think about their perfect career or what they might like to go to school to learn about, then help them put plans into action. Take stock of any changes you can make to help support your child’s journey that makes a happier future begin now.
The Right to Proper Treatment and Management of Your Mental Health
No one should have to suffer the difficulties that accompany life with mental health issues. If you need help managing your child’s mental health, explore all options. Talk to your insurance company about how to proceed. If money is an issue, inquire about sliding scale options from therapists, scholarships from treatment programs, and assistance via city, state, and federal government programs. There may be ways to solve financial concerns currently unknown to you.
Your child will be guided by clinical professionals who are skilled at teaching their clients not just to live but thrive. Keep in mind that the point of professional help isn’t to be a crutch but as someone to teach your child how to help themselves by receiving the treatment they deserve.
The Right to Sobriety
If dealing with substance abuse accompanies your loved one’s mental health challenges, there are ways to deal with both issues. Many young people suffer from co-occurring disorders. The right program will teach your teen how to begin a sober life, which often makes dealing with the mental health side of things more manageable. You have the right to sobriety and better mental health.
The Bill of Rights isn’t just about the federal government. Everyone has a list of rights that includes the right to be treated with respect, have healthy self-esteem, plan a bright and exciting future, manage your mental health, and stay sober. Sustain Recovery offers several programs, including residential and extended care. These programs arm you with the ability to achieve everything on your child’s Bill of Rights and live a mentally healthy and sober life they might not have thought was possible. Our Southern California treatment facility offers a warm respite from today’s harsh world and a place to buckle down and get started on building a life that honors the real individual within. Call us today to learn more about which of our programs is the right fit for your loved one. We can help! (949) 407-9052.
