Help Someone

How to help a friend, child or parent dealing with a mental health issue

If a close family member of friend is facing a mental health issue, they are plenty of ways to help them. Know that you are not the only person going through this with a loved one and there is a network of people here to support you. What your friend of family member is going through will be difficult but not abnormal. Mental health issues are very common, in 2018 alone, 450 million people suffer with mental health, remember this when interacting with your loved one.

First if you only suspect they are facing one of these issues, look for these signs:

Look for severe and sudden mood swings that may cause problems at school or in other relationships. They may also show signs of sadness and withdrawal.
Intense feelings such as fear or worrying, strong enough to affect their life on a daily basis. These feelings may be shown by a racing heart or fast breathing.
Fighting often, wanting to badly hurt others and other behavioral changes. This mainly includes dangerous, out-of-control anger
Look for signs of them having difficulty staying focused and a loss of concentration for any everyday tasks.
Using laxatives, frequent throwing up and any sudden and unexpected weight loss may show signs of mental illness.
Physical symptoms such as headaches, migraines and upset stomachs can be how mental illness manifests itself rather than anxiety or sadness
Finally, substance abuse may indicate that they are using drugs or alcohol to cope with or suppress their feelings

Remeber to be empathetic, real help hardly ever comes from sympathy. Watch this video to properly understand both concepts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

How to help a friend who is facing a mental health issue:

Be a good friend; communicate with them; text, call, email, voice message them. However you want to do it, stay in touch with them. This should not be “hey, hows therapy? etc.”. Just check up on them like “Hey, how’s it going?” Let them know that you’re there for them, but you can’t force them to do anything.
Educate yourself, (this can be the same for parents with mental health issues) research what it is and how they might feel, whether they would need help or a therapist - if they’re comfortable with that. If they are okay with it, ask them how the illness manifests in them etc.
Assist in anyway that you can, e.g if they say they may need a therapist, offer to find one, or take them there, or even split the pay.
Check in on them, if it's just ordering takeout or watching netflix, do not make it a big deal. Just be there.

If you are forcing them to get help, you are just pushing them farther and farther away. It may be confusing and difficult for you as you are not doing as much as you would like, but just remember not to push them away.

How to help your child if they are facing a mental health issue:

If you suspect your child has a mental illness, do not question them about it! Go to your child’s doctor to see what they think about such a sensitive issue. You can also ask your child’s teachers, loved ones, friends and immediate circle to see if they have noticed any severe or unsettling changes. If anything comes up, you may want to mention them to your child’s doctor for more advice.
How can I help my child cope?
- This is when your child needs your support the most. Talk to you mental health provider about how you can do this. Ask them how to better interact with your child, to get over and frustrating or difficult behaviour. This could also stop the feelings of anger and helplessness commonly felt for both the child and adult in these situations
- Have fun. Even though this is a difficult time, go out relax and enjoy spending time with your child, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy as long as they enjoy it. Don’t be harsh on your child, praise them for succeeding at small tasking or praise their strengths.
- Try out family counseling or support groups. This will help the rest of the family cope with the stress and understand how they can better interact with your child as a whole and how to talk about their mental illness.
- Inform your child’s teachers, this will help them succeed at school, help the teachers understand and interact with your child and what their special needs are. Tell the school counselor, they will be able to help the staff understand your child and what they will be comfortable talking about. You can also inform any other figures of authority in your child’s life so that they can adjust to their needs.
- Finally, if you suspect they have a mental health issue, GET HELP, seek advice, don’t stay silent- whether your scared, anxious or even ashamed. One in ten children will experience a mental health difficulty at least once before age 11, and many adults with lifetime mental health issues can trace their symptoms back to childhood. We also know that many children can wait up to ten years before effective diagnosis or treatment. Help them get treatment and watch them grow into a stronger person who can thrive.

How to help if your parent is facing a mental health issue:

If your parent is struggling with mental health, talk to another trusted adult or figure of authority in your life. They will be able to help you or help someone who can.
Remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE, you can seek help for your guardian and you will be able to get through this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnDE09zumb8