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Find out when people are allowed receive phone calls and visits. If your loved one wants you to, stop by to say hello and bring a book, comfortable clothing, slippers, food or something else your loved one likes. Check with hospital staff first. Some items (mirrors, belts, drawstrings, spiral notebooks, some grooming items) may not be allowed. Know that your loved one may not want to see anyone at first, and respect those wishes. Ask if the hospital offers a family support group. Learn about your loved one’s illness, its symptoms and its treatments. Remind yourself that your loved one has an illness, not a character flaw, and it is not anyone’s fault. If you don’t know your loved one’s diagnosis, find out more about mental illness in general. Help your loved one make a list of questions about the illness and treatment to ask the doctors or hospital staff. If your friend or family member is not getting good care from the hospital, say something. Ask the staff to explain the treatments your loved one is getting. If he or she is getting unnecessary or experimental treatment, ask that it be stopped. Don’t be afraid to ask more than once for good treatment for your loved one. Stay calm but be persistent. Ask if your loved one needs you to help with things like housework, care for children or pets, or phone calls to an employer during the hospital stay.
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