Supporting a Friend or Family Member with Mental Health issues

Supporting friends or family members

Mental health issues can affect anyone. Having the support of close friends and family members can make a huge difference in someone’s ability to heal.

If you notice indicators of mental health issues in your friend or family member, you can assist them to get the care they need.

Talking about mental health issues with loved ones can be an opportunity to provide support, advice, and encouragement. Mental health awareness can lead to the following outcomes:

• Early detection of mental health issues is becoming more common.
• Prior to then,
• A deeper level of empathy and understanding

You can help a friend or family member who’s showing indicators of a mental health condition by:

• Determine if the person is receiving the care he or she requires and desires—if not, connect him or her to resources.
• Expressing your concern and support for the person in question.
• A gentle reminder to a loved one that help is available and that mental health issues may be handled is always appreciated.
• When discussing mental health issues, it’s important to ask questions, listen, and respond.
• Acknowledging that you care about the other person.
• Give your friend or family member a helping hand when they need it most.
• Your friend or family member should be a part of your plans, even if they don’t want to be. You should keep inviting them even if they don’t want to accept your invitations.
• Increasing public awareness of mental health issues in order to prevent stigma and discrimination
  treating people with mental health issues with compassion, respect, and understanding.

How to Discuss Mental Health?

Is there anything I can do to help you get started? Using these questions as a starting point, ask your friend or family member what they have to say.

• Your well-being has been on my mind lately. Let’s talk about what you’re going through, shall we? If not, with whom do you feel most at ease?
• Is there anything I can do to help you open up to your parents or someone else who cares about you about your concerns?
• Is there anything else I can do for you?
• I am a person that cares and wants to hear what others have to say. What details would you like me to know about your current state of mind?
• Your prior successes and failures are a great source of inspiration.
• It can be helpful to chat with someone who has been through something similar. Do you know of anyone else who has gone through something similar and to who you could reach out for advice?
• It appears like you are going through a challenging period. Is there anything I can do for you?
• When it comes to learning about mental health issues, how can I help?
• Because I’m worried about your well-being, Have you ever contemplated harming yourself or others?

When discussing mental health issues, use the following:

• Having a network of people who can lend a helping hand.
• Communicate in an open and honest way.
• Adapt your language to the person’s age and development level (preschool children need fewer details as compared to teenagers)
• When and where the person feels safe and comfortable bringing up the subject
• As the conversation progresses, keep an eye out for signs of confusion or upset from the other party.

An example of a physical ailment is sometimes helpful. While many people get a cold or the flu, few really acquire pneumonia, which is a much more deadly illness. When sick with a cold, most people can carry on with their normal routines. However, if they get pneumonia, they will need to take medication and may perhaps need to be taken to the hospital.

Similarly, most people experience sensations of melancholy, anxiety, concern, irritability, or sleep issues. It may be an indication of a mental health problem if these sensations become overwhelming, last for an extended period of time, or interfere with daily activities such as school, job, or personal relationships. A person suffering from a mental health illness may also require medication and/or therapy in order to improve their condition, just as persons with physical ailments are advised to do so.

Get Your Friend or Family Member the Help They Need.

If you believe a friend or member of your family is at immediate risk of injuring themselves, contact us at Mental Health. 

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