You are already on this page so that means you are already doing something to support someone else.
One of the most important things is looking after yourself in the process!
It starts with a conversation – Show MoreMake sure you have some time, make sure you are somewhere safe and start a conversation. It can be short and sweet at first. “I’ve noticed a difference in you, do you want to talk about anything?” They may say no at first but you have let them know you are there for them, that they can talk if they want and that you care enough to have noticed them.
Find out more yourself – Show Morehave a look at our website, different conditions, the signs and symptoms so you know what to look for and what might help them.
Boundaries is key – Show MoreYou can’t do everything yourself. Being the only source of support for someone is a lot of pressure and sometimes can start to have a big impact on your own mental health. Don’t promise to be there anytime/anywhere, you have a life too. Help them to find their own ways of coping or support from a service.
Helping them by helping you (Purpose) – Show MoreSo this might sound a little bit odd because the focus isn’t meant to be on helping you. Ask them to get involved with something, something as simple as helping you with your homework, getting involved in a new club at school, or maybe even getting them to join you in a new project or task you’ve been thinking of doing for a while, they will get a boost just from you asking. And when they do this, they are distracted from what they are struggling with and get a break from it.
Let them know what they are going through is normal – Show Morewe are all becoming more aware of mental health issues, but there is still a long way to go in making this feel normal. Getting help you’re your mental health is normal, struggling with something is normal, we all have ups and downs and we all need help from time to time. Letting them know this can help them. Even my friend who is a GP, gets overwhelmed sometimes, no one is immune.
Let them know about support and services – Show Morewe can all try to help but we are not trained and sometimes we need a professional to help. So let them know what help is out there for them.
User Guides
That was just a starting point, we could have written a lot more about a lot of different situations but some good ones already exist. Here are our favourites.
On it is an A-Z guide of how to support as well as things such as how to start a conversation with your child.
