5 Things You Can Do to Support People With Mental Illness During Mental Health Awareness Month

What is Mental Health Awareness Month and Why Does it Matter?

Since 1949, May has been the month designated to raise awareness of mental health issues in the United States of America. In October, the World Health Organization celebrates the same concept. Mental Health America (MHA) started the movement to promote mental health and raise awareness of the challenges mentally ill people face. The campaigns also foster awareness of suicide and severe mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Illness.

There's a saying, "if you're not aware of something, you can't fix it." You can't really "fix" mental illness, but you can treat it and help people with mental illness feel safe being themselves. You can also get educated about mental illness so that you speak about it accurately and don't spread misinformation, like calling anyone who has mood shifts "bipolar" or misusing terms like "gaslighting" and PTSD. You might not be able to make a huge, sweeping difference, but you can be a comfort to those around you. The positive effects from that spread out like a ripple in a pond.

How You Can Support People with Mental Illness this Month (and in General)

1) Reduce the stigma against mental illness. Be conscious of the language you use, like "that's crazy" or "he must have X disorder" when someone does something you disagree with. If you hear something spoken out loud or online that denigrates people with mental illness, voice your discomfort with the stigmatizing remark. Example: "I don't feel comfortable with how you're referring to that person."

2) Validate the difficulties your friends, families or other loved ones have. Some of the loneliest times for people with mental illness are facing difficulty and are told they are over reacting, being dramatic, or ignored. In our society, we over-value independence and rational thought over listening to and attending our emotions. Luckily, that’s changing to some degree. Nonetheless, we all need to be in touch with our emotions and this is especially true for people who have trouble regulating their reactions to life’s stressors. Acknowledge the struggle the person is having, even if it doesn’t make sense to you.

3). Advocate for better treatment of mental health issues in your geographical area. Unfortunately, many health funds and research institutions are being radically defunded right now. Whatever you think of that politically, it affects access to treatment and valuable research that can benefit people with mental health conditions. If we as citizens are passively quiet about it, it will continue to happen. Use your voice! Call your state and U.S. representatives and senators and let them know that you care about funding for mental health programs and research.

4) If you have children in school, get involved (if you can) in ensuring that the youths have access to mental health care on campus. Speak out for vital programs like the Gay-Straight Alliance, or any anti-bullying programs they have. Many of the kids I see suffer from being bullied and mistreated because of their gender expression or sexual orientation. They are also mistreated online for having bodies that don’t conform to society’s standards (i.e., too thin, too fat, wrong hair, wrong clothes, etc.)

5) Similarly, at your place of work, you can advocate for people with mental illness. Unfortunately, the bullying only lessens when we become adults. But it certainly doesn’t stop, and many workplaces have tacit permission that allows people to be harassed for acting or behaving differently. While there are, and should be, standards for workplace decorum and appropriate behavior on the job, there may still be gossip and subtler forms of bullying. Don’t participate in it and if you can, gracefully be an upstander. If you see someone being targeted for mistreatment, bring it to the attention of the Human Resources Department or a similar administrator who can address it appropriately.

These guidelines can be especially helpful for people who have suffered a loss or traumatic incident.

After the initial shock wears off from a loss or traumatic incident, a person might be especially raw emotionally. They might have panic attacks, cry more easily, and seem more sensitive than usual. They might also be less easygoing or increasingly irritable. Their mental health needs might be right there on the surface, and it might be hard to know what to say to them.

You might feel awkward even talking to them, but ignoring them feels pretty awful to them too. It’s tricky to find the balance between showing concern and empathy, while respecting their need for privacy. Sometimes simply saying, “I heard you went through something really hard. If you need to talk about it, I’m willing to listen,” or “I’m glad to see you back, I missed you. Let me know if you need anything to help you feel comfortable.” The person will most likely not take you up on the offer, but just knowing that someone is there for you during this tender, painful time is reassuring and heartwarming. I’m sure they will welcome the kind attention.

If you have someone in your life who struggles with mental illness, there are many ways to support them year-round. These are just a few, but I think they can be powerful in showing solidarity with your loved one or colleague. Nonetheless, I recognize that having a loved one with mental illness can take its toll on you or your family; if you need support, counseling for depression or anxiety might be useful. Please call 661-233-6771 or click the link below.