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You’ve seen our advice on how to share your mental health issues with your family and friends, if you haven’t you should probably do so now. We all think we will be prepared to jump to action when our friends and family need help. But when the situation arises we find ourselves baffled, speechless, and somehow with zero thoughts in our heads. It can be hard to figure out the right thing to say and the right ways you can show you are there for someone. Here are a few tips on how you can help.
1. Send a message
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This is a tip where you can think ahead and prepare for the worst. People need to understand and know that they are thought of and loved. Don’t let them always be the one that is reaching out to you, if they are it shows that you have a lack of interest in the relationship that is present. Every once and a while when life is hectic and you aren’t making the effort to see your friends as often or family members send a quick text just saying you haven’t forgotten them and that there is always an open shoulder to cry on or person to rant to.
2. Drop of their favorite things
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If you have a little extra money and someone close to you is struggling with their mental health or life’s many obstacles a great way to help is to grab them their favorite dinner or maybe a snack and drop it off. No need to wait at the front door, in case they aren’t in the mood to see anyone. Lay the items outside, send a quick text, and make sure to attach a note to what you left. Don’t have time to do this? No worries, use one of the many delivery services that are right at your fingertips. Anything from a bottle of wine to a nice meal can be at someone else’s door. This shows you care, you understand that they are struggling and that it is okay to ask for help. You open up the communication for help. In society, we constantly hide that we are struggling and perpetuate the idea that it is not okay to ask for help. This is a great way to show someone that you are there for them.
3. Offer to make time
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Some people like to be left alone in hard times but others need to be pulled away from the vicious cycle. Reach out offering a time, date, place and array of activities like dinner, drinks, or even a fun workout session. This makes it so hard to say no, but you should allow room for them to say no just to stay within their comfort zone. Sometimes breaking the cycle of being in a low place helps you clear your head and see that you need to make some changes within your own life in order to feel a bit better and by offering plans then you help pull them out of that hole.
4. Advice sometimes isn’t necessary
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If you are someone who has struggled with your mental health then you know that sometimes when people offer advice it can just be extremely frustrating because your brain doesn’t work the same way theirs does. Sometimes the path to the other side isn’t a simple straight line filled with easy steps to check off, sometimes it’s falling on your butt then getting up again and taking a different route. So if you haven’t struggled with these issues before take away one thing and that should be that sometimes your unsolicited advice isn’t helpful, we know it comes from a good place but it doesn’t present itself that way.
