helping someone through a mental health crisis - #mentalhealthawarenessweek
When a friend or family member is having a difficult time with their mental health, it is sometimes hard to process why they are struggling. It is often harder to have a clear idea of what you can do to help them. In no way am I saying that being a support to someone is harder than what the person in question is going through, but it is really helpful to know what you can do to be there, to be a good listener, and to help them to see that there is a way through what they are experiencing. Here’s a quick list of what to look out for and how you can try to help. I am not a professional, not an expert of any kind but I have been through this experience of trying to be there for somebody in a particularly hard time and want to share with other people the things that helped me most:
Note: This is a list of suggestions that can used to help someone, often professional help will be needed to help someone through a time like this.
Signs that someone may be having a mental health crisis:
Threatening or trying to take their lives or hurt themselves or others
Seeing or hearing things
Believing things that aren’t true (delusions)
Having escalated problems with alcohol or substances
Having escalated problems sleeping, eating or drinking
Seeming unable to care for themselves on a day-to day basis
Still struggling with severe symptoms after trying other coping mechanisms such as therapy
Needing to make a significant switch in treatment or medication under the close supervision of a medical professional
Having symptoms of mania or depression that significantly interferes with life on a daily basis
How to talk to someone who may be having a mental health crisis:
Stay calm to keep the other calm. Seeming annoyed or angry can often worsen the situation
Realise that communication may not always be simple and easy. It’s good to ask simple questions which can be repeated in a calm way.
Don’t take the others actions or hurtful words personally, they are going through a tough time.
Be reassuring, you could say, “I’m here. I care. I want to help. How can I help you?”
Avoid negative responses such as “Snap out of it,” “Get over it,” or “Stop acting like this.”
Don’t feel like you have to handle the crisis alone. Talk to family and friends (keep in mind confidentiality) and seek advice online from support websites.
Don’t threaten to call any services unless you feel like someone is in danger. Sometimes this can make a situation seem worse.
If you are trying to help someone who often has periods of bad mental health that they cannot control, it’s worth talking to them about what to do the next time they feel overwhelmed or like they can’t cope. This can include:
Discussing what symptoms to look out for.
Things the person will find helpful that others can do when a bad time comes.
A list of helpful phone numbers, including health care providers, family members, friends and crisis lines.
An agreement from your friend or family member that he or she will call you or someone else when symptoms become hard to handle.
Having a regular meeting, call or message conversation to check-in with the person. Sometimes this can help give routine to talking about how they feel and monitoring the situation so that it doesn’t escalate.
Support and help works differently for everyone. Some people will need more, less and different types of support during certain times. In being there for someone, the most important thing is to not give up even when you feel like you aren’t making a difference or are unable to help. I can guarantee that when the person gets through their difficult period, they will thank you for simply being there, for being an ear to listen and for being a helpline when things got really bad. Know that this is not your fault, this is not about you. All you can do is be as supportive as you can and to make sure that you look after yourself in the process. Be there for them, be there for yourself. Be there.
helpful numbers if you struggling with MH:
Samaritans: 116 123
SANE: 0300 304 7000
CALM (help for men): 0800 58 58 58
MIND Infoline: 0300 123 3393