During this month of May, which is Mental Health Awareness month, I think about people struggling with depression or who are bipolar or have other conditions–friends with mental illnesses they try to hide, and friends with a mental illness that is very apparent. You probably do, too, since one in four people experience it within any given year. Sometimes, dealing with them isn’t easy. Because I care for them, I want to support them; I want to make their lives more livable. But I’m not a professional, and I don’t want to do or say something that would be harmful to them.
I’d like to share with you a short yet helpful article. I’ll give you its five recommendations here. For an explanation of each, read “How to Help a Friend with Mental Illness.”
- Listen to what they are saying.
- Validate what they are saying.
- Ask what they need.
- Educate yourself about their experience.
- Keep being a friend.
I’m trying to apply these steps to my friends. I hope others will apply them to me when I need them.