How to Help Someone with Mental Health Problems
- Leah Cox
- Dec 4, 2020
- 2 min read
What do They Need?
This is the most important thing you should ask yourself. Whether they are having a panic/anxiety attack or just a really bad day, you should always ask them what they need you to do. Even though they have mental health problems, they will still have some idea of what they need. However, if they are having a really bad panic attack, they might not be able to communicate so I would recommend doing some research into how to help. I will link a few resources down below that you can have a look at. If you have a friend or relative that suffers from mental health problems, it is really important to know what to do when it comes to panic and anxiety attacks.
Give Them Your Support
In the moment they will be irrational, which means you may not relate or agree with everything they say or do. In this situation your opinion will not help them as you are not going through what they are. You should reassure them that you are supporting them and that they will be okay. It is not your place to tell them how they should feel. If they are being extremely irrational, then I would recommend putting them onto a mental health hotline. They are trained professionals that are able to calm people down and show them support. Remember, you cannot put all their mental health problems on your shoulders so if you are feeling overwhelmed then be sure to refer them to a professional.
Distraction is Key
They need to be distracted from their own mind and come into the present. There was this one time last year when I was having a big anxiety attack and my friend came in to help me. I was sat there hyperventilating and shaking and she started talking to me about how her toilet was broken. My mind snapped out of it straight away because I was so taken aback by how she was talking about her broken toilet whilst I felt like I was dying. However, this stopped my anxiety attack. I was back in the present and my normal mind was in charge again! A trick for doing this is called the five senses. You ask them to name five things they can see, four things they can feel, three things they can hear, two things they can smell and one thing they can taste. Make sure you get them not only to list them but to describe how each of these things makes them feel.
Listen Now, Talk Later
They are not in the right mindset to talk about why they are feeling the way they are. Your job is purely to help them snap out of the state they are in. This is because the more they talk about their problems in that moment, the more it is invading their brain and keeping them in that mindset. Whereas, if you were to talk about it later on when they are in a better mood, they will be more rational and will feel like they can talk about it in a calmer space. Obviously, talking is so important when it comes to mental health but there is a time and a place for it.
Resources:
Comments