Here is where I struggle with mental illness. Besides agoraphobia, which is the issue of being scared to leave one's environment, other mental illness have to be handled just like other disease. That does too, just in a different manner. Still being up to the person with the disease to manage it.
If one is with it enough to recognize the mental illness, come here and type about it, then they are in a much better shape than many. I say that because you have to be an advocate for yourself and be proactive in your own care, just like any other disease.
I know someone who attends AA, NA, OA, Celebrate Recovery...all sorts of other meetings. She also goes to many things at the local library. She does this for one reason. She does this so she does not isolate. She recognizes that it's HER responsibility, not the responsibility of everyone else in her life, to get her to socialize and not isolate herself. There is a lot of blame being put on families and friends of addicts and mentally ill, while very little emphasis is put on self responsibility. She also recognizes that not only is it not her families responsibility, but that she has alienated them to the point that she does not expect them to be able to be her support system. They need a support system of their own to deal with all that has happened. What she can do for them is form trust over time, and to make sure her actions match what she is saying. That is all.
I know mental illness can feel helpless and alone. I know this because I have been there, dealing with major depression and anxiety.
However, one does not have to choose that route. It takes one first step, so that you can change your mind set.
I say this all kindly as I know it's a painful topic.
I don't just mean about addiction either. I suffer from PTSD. It's under control now, but it was not always. However, since I recognized it, I worked tirelessly to get it under control. I went to therapy, read books, posted here, used guided meditation, exercise, you name it. No one could have done these things for me, and no one else was responsible for pushing me into it. I had to do the work.
I realize there are some who are so mentally ill they are beyond helping themselves and do not have touch with reality. Those are not the folks I am speaking of as in my opinion those folks need long term in patient help.