LCSD COVID-19 Mental Health Awareness Volume I | Page 12

SUPPORTING
OTHERS
While 1 in 5 people will experience a diagnosable mental health condition in their lives, 5 out of 5
people will go through a challenging time that affects their mental health. There are simple things
that every person can say or do to help the people in their life who are struggling to get through
the tough times.
how to be helpful
Practice active listening. Active listening is different than just hearing what a
person has to say. A good active listener puts everything aside and gives their
complete attention to the person who is talking; asks open-ended questions to
get more details about the topic that is being discussed (ex. “And how did that
make you feel?”); and takes moments throughout the conversation to summa-
rize what they’ve been told and make sure they are understanding clearly.
Don’t compare. If a friend or loved-one is going through a tough situation and
they come to you for support, you might feel tempted to tell them about
something that happened to you and how you were able to get through it. It’s
okay to share about similar experiences, but be careful not to compare because
it can make someone feel like their pain isn’t valid. For instance, if they are telling
you about a breakup, don’t mention how you had a much harder divorce. Focus
on what you did to cope with feelings of loss or loneliness.
Ask what you can do. It can be tempting to assume what would be helpful to
someone who is struggling, but it’s always better to ask them what they need
from you. If you ask and get a response like, “nothing, I’m fine,” offer up a few
suggestions for things you would be willing to do (without being pushy). For
instance, you could offer to come sit with them and watch a movie, cook them a
meal, or pick up a few things for them at the store.
Keep your word. If you have offered your support to someone and told them
you would do something, keep your word. When a person is struggling, the last
thing they need is to feel abandoned by someone else. If you absolutely can’t
honor your promise, make a sincere apology and find another time that you can
do what you said you would.
Don’t judge. To be truly supportive of someone, you need to put your personal
opinions and biases aside. They may be struggling because of a mistake that
they made, or you may think that they are overreacting, but you will never know
what it is truly like to be that person in this moment, and criticism is not helpful
to their recovery.
A strong social support
system improves overall
mental health outcomes
and the ability to bounce
back from stressful
situations.1
One study found that
providing support to
others increased activity in
the part of the brain
associated with rewards.2
For young people who
came out as LGBTQ, those
who had at least one
accepting and supportive
adult were 40% less likely
to attempt suicide.3
If you feel like you are
struggling with your
mental health, visit
mhascreening.org to
check your symptoms.
Offer to join them. When someone is going through a time of sadness or
uncertainty, their emotions can take over and leave them feeling paralyzed and
unable to take care of life’s obligations. Offering to go with someone to help
them take care of responsibilities like walking the dog, going to the grocery
store, attending doctor appoinments, or picking up the dry cleaning can help
them feel a sense of accomplishment and lift their spirits.
Know when more serious help is needed. Sometimes the support that you
can offer won’t be enough. If you notice that your friend or loved-one continues
to struggle after weeks or months, they may be showing signs of a mental health
condition and likely need professional help. Don’t be afraid to encourage them
to seek help from a mental health professional and offer to help them find a
provider if needed. If someone you care about is in immediate danger of taking
suicidal action, seek help by calling 911 or going to the closest emergency room.
Trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 by texting "MHA" to 741-741 or
calling 1-800-273-TALK(8255).
Sources
1Ozbay, F., Johnson, D. C., Dimoulas, E., Morgan III, C. A., Charney, D., & Southwick, S. (2007). Social support and resilience to stress: from
neurobiology to clinical practice. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 4(5),35.
2Inagaki, T. K., Bryne Haltom, K. E., Suzuki, S., Jevtic, I., Hornstein, E., Bower, J. E., & Eisenberger, N. I. (2016). The Neurobiology of Giving Versus
Receiving Support: The Role of Stress-Related and Social Reward-Related Neural Activity. Psychosomatic medicine, 78(4), 443–453.
https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000302
3The Trevor Project. (2019). National Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health. New York, New York: The Trevor Project.
It’s free, confidential, and anonymous.
Once you have your results, MHA will
give you information and resources to
help you start to feel better.