How to be Supportive- 5 Tips
Supporting someone with a mental health diagnosis can be extremely difficult. You might not understand their symptoms or what they are going through or you might be afraid of saying the wrong thing and making them feel worse. There is no specific guidebook on how to help someone. Sure, you have this blog post, many others, and even actual self-help books out there. Those are great, but mental health isn’t cookie-cutter nor is supporting someone through their mental health struggles. I encourage you to gather as much information as possible and see what applies to your loved ones through their journey.
Here are my top recommendations for how to support someone struggling with mental health:
Listen to the person. Notice the word listen. Listen doesn’t mean providing an opinion, talking, or giving advice. It also doesn’t mean pointing out what you think the person can do differently. Listen to the person to hear and understand what they are saying. Only provide feedback if it’s asked for. You can support someone without talking.
Educate yourself. You don’t need to have gone through what your loved one is going through to understand them. Do your research on their diagnosis and symptoms. Even then, go deeper. So many people can have similar diagnoses with various symptoms. Ask your loved ones about their experiences, and don’t assume you know everything just because you did a quick internet search.
Explore treatment options with them. Don’t push your own beliefs onto the person, but explore their options for mental health treatment. This might include individual or group therapy, evaluations, and medication. Leave the diagnosing up to the providers and encourage collaboration on treatment options.
Set boundaries with your time. Supporting someone with a mental illness doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7 to support them. Figure out what time frames and time limits work best for you and communicate those clearly.
Have realistic expectations. Most mental health symptoms tend to wax and wane over time and usually aren’t “curable.” Be mindful that symptoms can fluctuate in severity and frequency, and as much as it’s frustrating for you, imagine what it’s like for the person experiencing them first-hand.
When in doubt, ASK your loved one how you can be a supportive person for them. You might be surprised by the simplicity of their answer.