Encouraging others to get and stay well
One
important thing family and friends can do for those who you suspect may have
depression or another mental health issue is to help them get an appropriate
diagnosis and treatment. This may mean getting them to see a doctor in the first
place, or encouraging them to stay with treatment until they feel better.It
is also important to offer emotional support in the following ways:
- Acknowledge that the
person is suffering
- Express affection, offer
kind words, give compliments
- Show that you respect
and value the person
- Help the person keep
active and busy
- Don't expect the person
to just "snap out of it"
- Don't criticize, pick
on, or blame the person for his/her behavior
- Don't say or do anything
that might worsen the person's poor self-image
- Don't ignore any talk
of suicide; notify a member of the person's family or his or her doctor immediately.
- Let them know that you
are here to support them, no matter what.
- Recognize that change
takes time. Help them take baby steps.
- Let them know that they
are not alone. Many people suffer with similar illnesses. Help connect them
with other people that have had similar experiences and are recovering well.
Courtesy of http://www.depression-anxiety-info.com
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How to talk to your older adult loved one about getting
mental health help
Some tips are:
- Establish trust with
your loved one
- Choose a member of
the family who is closest to, or has the best relationship with, the loved
one to speak on behalf of the family
- Use an honest, gentle
approach
- Offer support to your
loved one
- Offer options
- Involve a trusted primary
care physician for support
- Know there are community
resources available to help you
Courtesy of http://www.deaconess-healthcare.com
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Things
to say if a friend or relative asks for advice about their child who they feel
may have a mental illness
- Don’t regard it
as a family disgrace. Mental illness should be treated like any other illness.
- Tell them mental
illness is curable. Make what appears to be a negative situation, positive.
- Encourage the
child to verbalize any concern they may have about themselves before making
assumptions or placing a label on the child. Many children/teens already recognize
something is not right.
- Offer resources,
or if you yourself are unfamiliar with these resources, offer to explore resources
together.
- While exploring
the problem (whatever it may be) continue to recognize the positives in your
child. Their strengths will ultimately be what pull the child through difficult
and confusing times.
Courtesy of http://www.familynurture.org
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Letting yourself off the hook
Helping a person with mental
health issues can be exhausting and overwhelming. Here are some things to keep
in mind that can help both of you:
- Try to get other people
involved in helping a person who has the illness, since doing it on your own
can be difficult.
- People with depression
or other mental health issues often resist attempts to be helped. It's okay
to feel angry and frustrated, but don't confuse the person you love with the
illness.
- Depression and other
mental disorders aren't anyone's fault. It isn't possible to “snap out
of” an illness like depression.
- No matter how overwhelmed
you feel, take time for yourself.
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Helping stop a suicide
Each year in America almost 30,000 people commit suicide, and 70% of those people tell someone or give warning signs before taking their own life. Stop A Suicide, Today! can teach you how to recognize the warning signs of suicide in family, friends, coworkers, and patients, and why you need to respond as you would do with any medical emergency. Learn more about Stop A Suicide.
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