How to Support Your Friend’s Mental Health
Mental illness is finally becoming less of a taboo topic in America. Thanks to recent research, we are on the cusp of beginning to acknowledge its large presence for what it is.
In the spirit of Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s move past acknowledgement toward understanding. Join us?
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness. However, there are still some growing pains when it comes to understanding how to interact and care for loved ones with mental health issues.
We’ve created some bullet point notes in an effort to demystify the process.
Firstly, sit with your friend in their pain.
Yes, this step sounds surprisingly easy, but it’s actually not. This step requires more active listening and less interjecting. A lot of times when our loved ones express their pain to us, our natural inclination is to swoop in like a superhero in an attempt to take it away. Instead of relieving our loved ones, we can actually end up making them feel invalidated and unheard, which can often end up worsening their pain.
Try this: when your friend expresses their pain to you, listen more than you speak.
Follow up with them.
Mental illness doesn’t just disappear— it may be a while before they start feeling better. Continue to support them on this journey. If you find feelings of annoyance within yourself, such as “why can’t they just get over this?”, try using empathy. Think about what it must be like to experience mental illness on a consistent basis.
Try this: text or call your friend and ask them how they are doing this week. Offer to bring them their favorite morning beverage at work, showing them that you care.
Help your loved ones find help.
NAMI reports that the average delay between symptom onset and treatment is a shocking 11 years. It shouldn’t be like this. Without creating a stereotypical intervention, offer to help your friend look for therapists.
Try this: If they’re open to it, plan a hangout where you can browse the therapist directory on PsychologyToday.com with them.
Be patient with them.
Even if you think it’s obvious that your loved one should reach out to a therapist, they may not be ready to yet. You can’t force someone to change, but you can show them that you care.
Try this: just like someone with the flu may not seem like themselves, a friend experiencing mental illness isn’t feeling their best self. Check in on them regularly to let them know you are there to talk when they feel up to it.
Again, according to NAMI, 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness. That’s a lot of people. To better understand the implications of this statistic, try thinking about it this way: in a group of 10 friends, at least 2 of them are going through the throes of mental illness. However, it’s likely that the number is even greater than this.