Knowing someone experiencing mental health issues could be challenging as you need to be careful about your words and actions. In order to help someone out who’s struggling with mental health problems, here’s a list of recommended actions you could do:
1. Suggest Help
One of the best ways to help someone having mental health problems is to lead them to a professional who can aid them in their recovery as quickly and as accurately as much as possible. This way, you no longer have to experiment and delay their process since a professional knows exactly what to do so they can help them to manage the problem.
There is plenty of professional help options that you could suggest. You can look for psychologists online or visit sites like https://apibhs.com/ as they can be one call away, any time of the day, especially during hours when they need help the most. Giving them a local number that they can call if they feel desperate would be a great way to help without interfering too much with their decisions and life.
2. Be Present
Sometimes, a person who’s experiencing mental health issues just needs someone to talk to. There are moments when they feel that no one’s available to lend an ear to them and listen to their troubles and problems. To help a person lighten up their load, you should be present as much as you can and try to listen to their problems.
As you listen to their problems, you might want to ask them first if they are open to hearing advice. This will help put the person on a good start as you’re trying to meet their expectations and respond the way how they want you to. Moreover, you should also try to be as gentle and sensitive as much as possible as you don’t know the whole story they’re going through.
3. Take Them Outside
Having a routine may be draining, especially if it’s already been running for months or years. While some are eager to know what will happen next, other people feel that they’re stuck in a rut and their lives have nowhere else to go. To help someone feel better about their day, you should offer taking them outside for the day, or even just for the rest of the afternoon.
There are plenty of places where you can bring someone to unwind and de-stress. It could be going to the park, coffee shop, bookstore, bowling alley, skate rink, a gym, or zoo, as long as you know the scenery will catch their attention. Alternatively, you may want them to explore new experiences and give them a hobby that they can squeeze into their schedule. You could also bring your group of friends along if they’re the type who enjoys more company.
4. Give Support
Some people are experiencing mental health issues because they don’t have the luxury of rest. They’re too preoccupied with chores, work, and duties that they need to do within the day. It could be taking care of children, doing house chores, and even work. You can just imagine how tiring their day would be, and there might be no rest day for them.
One thing you could do is to offer support and help by taking some of the burden off their back. Volunteer to handle certain chores or offer to take care of the children by bringing them to the park. You can even run some errands that’ll spare them some time to rest and have their own little “me time.” This small act will help them recover from exhaustion, which can go a long way on having good mental health.
5. Send Motivational Messages
One small act that’ll surely be appreciated is sending a motivational message to someone who’s having mental health problems. This’ll be a gesture that’ll remind them that they can get through tough times, especially with them knowing that someone will always be beside them through any obstacles.
Sending motivational messages won’t take too much of your day. All you need to do is search for messages or quotes online, save them on your phone, and send those messages to that person every now and then. You can also customize your message to give the message a unique and sincere touch. It’ll only cost you a few minutes a day to make someone smile.
6. Acknowledge Their Effort
Sometimes, people go through a rough patch because they feel unseen and unappreciated. It’ll be tiring and draining to work the whole day only to see your mistakes instead of the effort you’ve put into it. To make someone feel better about themselves and avoid dragging themselves down, you should recognize their actions and say “thank you” to them.
You could always acknowledge the actions of a person, no matter how small it is. Common actions to commend include accomplishing a task, helping out others. Simple words such as “thank you” and “good job” would make their entire day and put a smile on someone’s face. This will help them to feel appreciated and worthy, giving a boost to their self-esteem.
7. Give A Small Surprise
Giving someone a gift or a surprise is a small way to tell them that they’re important and you will remember them even with your busy schedule. This’ll surely warm their hearts no matter how small the act is.
Surprises don’t always have to be extravagant. It could be coming home with their favorite drink, bought at a store along the way home from from work, or taking a photo of a dog you saw pass by. Even for just brief a moment, a small gesture will help take their mind off their struggles.
The Verdict
It would be best if you never belittle someone for struggling with issues, no matter how small or trivial the issues they are dealing with may be. Their battles are different from yours, and you should try to be kinder to everyone as you don’t know what intensity they’re going through. With these small, but important gestures, you can help people to be happier, making the world a better place to live in both for you and, more importantly, for them.