Supporting Somebody Suffering With Their Mental Health

As somebody who has suffered from my mental health, I want to write this blog post on a personal level and things that I wanted to hear from people around me supporting me. The first thing I would say is that you should never force someone to get professional help if they are not ready. Unless you feel that they are unsafe and a danger to themselves or others, then you should not pressure them into doing something that they don't want to do no matter how much you may think it is best for them. When I was told I needed to get help and was being forced into doing something I didn't want to do, it made me not want to do it every more. I don't know why this was the case but every time someone mentioned to me about getting help or even just phoning up the doctors to start me on medication, I hated the idea of talking to someone about how I was feeling, especially a stranger. I could never put into words the fear I felt whenever someone spoke to me about it, I instantly shut them down and would end the conversation because I didn't want to hear it. Looking back now, I can see that it was because it was something I was so terrified of doing and I didn't want to face up to the facts about how bad my mental health really was. The worst thing you could say to someone suffering with mental health is 'we all have our problems, just get over it' Just because you may be able to deal with a similar situation without any problems, it doesn't mean that everyone else can. Thats the thing with mental health, one tiny obstacle for you could be a huge mountain for somebody who is suffering. Everything gets amplified on a much larger scale. I quite often think its a generation thing as well. I often find that younger people are more exposed to mental health and the impact is has on each individuals life whereas older generations were never really brought up around the conversation of mental health and because it wasn't spoken about, they're not really as educated on it which then means they're not as understanding and accepting of it. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed about and if you know someone suffering with mental health then that is one of the most important things you could tell this person. Just simply by reassuring them that how they're feeling is 100% valid and they should not be ashamed of how they're feeling. Something I think o would have found really helpful was if someone was to approach me and asked me what I wanted from them or asked me how they would like me to support me. Setting that boundary is a massive sign of respect from both parties, the person who wants to support is asking what is needed from them and the person suffering can be honest and open about what support they feel they need in the current state of mind they're in. You'll find quite often that you'll be pushed away, please never take offence from this. It is a natural reaction to when things are getting too much for someone and a lot of the time it is just best to take a step back. Allow the person who is suffering to feel their emotions without trying to suppress them. I found that just by sitting in my room and crying alone would help me. As sad as that sounds, being true to how you feel is a lot easier than putting on a brave face for the sake of everyone else. When trying to support someone, you do not have to try to stay strong for them. Sometimes you may find it a little too much yourself and that's perfectly okay. It can be so upsetting seeing someone you love and care about hurt so much but what you've got to remember is that you are not a superhero. As much as you may feel like you'd just want to wave a magic wand and for it to all go away, it won't. But by simply being in this persons life and making them aware that you are they for them and you want to support them in whatever way they feel they need, that's enough. It will not solve all their problems and things that they're suffering with but they will know that they have you by their side to support them. If you are trying to support someone with mental health issues and are stuck on what to do, I have a few helplines on the homepage that are very useful. You can always give me a message, my contact details are also on the homepage, and I will try my best to give you any advice.