Do you suffer from mental health issues? If so, the chances are they’ll intensify the minute you face legal challenges. The average person has no experience with the law, so become very anxious when they have to navigate complex legal proceedings. Worsening mental illness coupled with the threat of a lawsuit can be enough to drive people to break down. This post will explore this topic in more detail, telling you how you can sustain your mental health during legal challenges and work through any problems that you are dealing with.
Find Professional Legal Support
One of the scariest things a person can go through is a criminal trial. Being accused of a crime can wreak havoc on your mental health. If you have been arrested, charged, and taken to court, you need a lawyer’s support. In truth, you need a skilled attorney for criminal defense in Winston-Salem (or wherever you are in the United States), from the minute you first get arrested. The police will try to intimidate you into talking to them in the interview room. You need to request an attorney and plead the fifth until they arrive. A lawyer will be able to get you through the interview process and provide emotional support throughout your case. Find the most qualified, experienced lawyer you can. Don’t compromise on quality just to save money.
Understand the Defense Process
Take some time to educate yourself about what criminal defense entails. If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, you will be scheduled for a date in court. This will either be for sentencing or your trial, depending on your plea. Your lawyer will advise you on a plea. If they think there is no chance you are going to get acquitted, they’ll recommend that you plead guilty or accept a plea deal. The DA will most likely offer a plea deal, ideally to get you to admit your guilt. Your attorney will negotiate the best plea deal for you that they can. Make sure that when you are selecting a lawyer, you find one with lots of good reviews. The more positive a lawyer’s reviews are, the more likely they are to be experienced. You need an experienced lawyer, otherwise you aren’t going to get a good result.
Pursue Mental Health Treatment
Having to go through a legal case can be very hard mentally. A lot of people drift into depression and anxiety, mainly because they are scared they are going to go to prison. Regardless of whether or not prison is likely for you, pursue mental health treatment. A mental health professional will be able to give you the care and consideration that you need. They will be able to help you talk through your issues and work out what’s scaring you. If you are likely to receive some kind of formal punishment, i.e., fine or a prison, they will help you to understand the reality of this and help you to prepare. Proper preparation is always important. Find the best mental health professional you can. You don’t have to see a therapist in person, due to the abundance of online mental health platforms.
Build a Support Network Up
One of the best things you can do is build a support network of caring relatives and friends to help you get through your case. If you do not have any loved ones to turn to, you can always get in touch with a community mental health group. Community mental health groups are organizations that put people in touch with others who are going through similar situations to themselves. These groups usually meet at specific locations, i.e., churches or community centers, once or twice a week. If you are planning on going to a support group, make sure you withhold information about your case. You should never give people insight into what’s going on with your case until it is concluded. Telling people about it before it has been finalized is always a bad idea. Your lawyer will likely recommend that you stay quiet until proceedings have drawn to a close.
Try to Occupy Your Time
After an arrest, it can be a stressful time. Try to occupy yourself, though. Occupying your time is one of the best things that you can do because it allows you to momentarily forget about your legal troubles. There are many things you can do to occupy your time, from taking up a new hobby to working overtime. In terms of working overtime, if you are going to receive some kind of punishment, i.e., prison or a fine, overtime can be a great way for you to build up your savings pot. The more money you have, the better. If you have a large savings pot, you can put money from it toward paying your fine and legal fees. Alternatively (if money is no issue), take up a hobby. Taking up a new hobby is a good way to think about other things and forget about your case for a while.
Focus On the Future
Finally, make sure that you focus on the future. While being arrested can be intimidating, life will go on. Even if you have been arrested for something very serious, you have a future. Make sure that you think about it. Thinking about the future can get your mind off of your impending trial or conviction and help you to feel more positive. However, while it is important to focus on the future, make sure that you still put effort into defending yourself and work with your lawyer. Don’t accept defeat and forget about your case. Do everything you can to accumulate evidence that supports your innocence. Additionally, make sure you take time to educate yourself about your case’s intricacies. Learning about your case can make it easier for you to prepare yourself for what’s going to come after it, i.e., prison, fine, community service, or acquittal. Predicting the outcome of a criminal case is pretty easy if you know a lot about it.
People who have never been through a criminal case before will never know how hard it can be on a person mentally. If you are unfortunate enough to be going through one, seek professional help. An attorney will handle your case for you and a therapist will talk you through your problems. Do not attempt to handle a legal case or the mental fallout from one alone.
Published by HOLR Magazine.