How to: Mental Health Support

For the last few years, mental illness rates have skyrocketed and are affecting anyone and everyone. According to Pinerest.org, “mental illnesses affect 19% of adults, 46% of teenagers, and 13% of children each year.” However, only around half of them are able to receive the treatment that they need. Untreated mental illnesses play a factor in higher medical expenses, grades spiraling down, and increases in unemployment. This is why it is imperative that you offer your unconditional support to the best of your ability.

What to do:

If you find yourself stuck on what to do to offer support, here’s a list of everyday things you can do. Remember that supporting someone with mental illness can be a challenging and ongoing process, so it’s important to take care of yourself as well.

1: Be patient and understanding: Starting off, being understanding and patient is a crucial thing to do. Recovery from any sort of mental illness does not go at the same pace. It’s not linear and it will take time. It’s going to have its ups and downs and you will hit many roadblocks, but staying patient and being by their side can lead them one step closer to getting better.

2: Listen without judgment: Make sure to listen to them and let them know that their emotions are valid. If you make a side comment or tell them “Other people have it worse,” you are just feeding into the stigma and misconceptions around mental illnesses. Make sure you are letting them share their experiences without any sort of interruption or side comment. It’s essential that you create an environment where they trust you enough to share their feelings. By actively listening to them, you’re validating their experiences which can be incredibly healing for them.

3: Doing simple tasks around the house: If you have a family member who is struggling, try doing small chores around the house. Mental illness can make simple tasks overwhelming and difficult, so offering to do the dishes or clean their room can make a big difference. However, if you are cleaning their room or doing their laundry, make sure you are being respectful and kind. Don’t use helping them as a way to get them to do something in return. If you’re running an errand for them while they are struggling, it’s extremely inconsiderate to want payback or compensation.

4: Educate yourself: Learning more about what the person is struggling with can help you gain an idea of what they are going through. If you don’t know anything about the symptoms or struggles, you could potentially cause misunderstandings and arguments to arise. Normally when someone is struggling with depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness, they tend to zone out or lose motivation. Someone who didn’t know that it was a symptom could end up starting an argument over a misunderstanding. This is draining for both of the people involved, so try attending support groups, reading from credible sources, or talking to a mental health professional to gain insight into mental illnesses. Simple research on what they are going through is more helpful than you think.

5: Invite them to do something with you: Normally people struggling tend to isolate themselves and avoid social interaction. If it’s okay with them, you could both go out somewhere. Prior to the event, try to plan it out with the person so you can reduce their feelings of anxiety and prepare them for the outing. Be mindful of their triggers and avoid going somewhere that could make the experience overwhelming. The hangout could be as simple as going on a walk or to a local restaurant. However, if they begin to panic, make sure to let them know that you are here for them and encourage them to take a break if they need it. Don’t make the hangout seem like it’s a big deal, normalize it as much as you can. At the end of the day, you are both humans, so don’t make it seem like they aren’t normal just because they are struggling.

6: Check up on them: While someone is struggling, they tend to drift away from their friends or partner. Send them a simple text message or pass a note to them if they seem down. If they seem anxious during class or stressed over an assignment, pass them a note offering to help them with the class. You being there will remind them that they aren’t alone. Most of the time, they may not want to interact directly, but being patient and checking up on them will be a greater help than you think.