Supporting somebody who is resisting help for their mental health can be a very challenging position to be in. You can experience pushback or even attacks on you for even suggesting it in the first place. It’s very difficult for us to show someone that support is necessary because they’ve been struggling on their own for too long. People who feel stuck or uninterested may not see hope or even see that they need help, but it’s all about acknowledging that gentle and persistent support can encourage them toward a meaningful recovery journey. Here’s a few approaches to bear in mind:
Demystifying the Method
Sometimes symptoms are severe, which is where professional psychiatric treatment can become necessary. However, when you encourage someone who is experiencing persistent sadness, aggression, confusion, or even thoughts of self-harm, it’s vital to calmly explain how psychiatry works, often with a combination of medication and therapy that relieves the symptoms of severe distress and restores quality of life by helping the person understand the reasons underneath, which then can result in better coping strategies. Often, when other approaches fail, this can be critical to restoring quality of life.
Listening Actively
It’s about being non-judgemental and remembering that if this person trusts you, then they will value your opinion. You need to be a good listener by asking gentle questions, showing empathy, and avoiding pushing for those immediate solutions. We can often feel the pressure to get them help in the here and now, particularly if it’s been going on for a long time, but we have to remember the open conversation is about building space that can help the person feel heard and understood, which then builds trust.
Educate, Do Not Pressurise
There can be a big stigma around mental health that, despite more people than ever talking about it, may actually deter people from asking for help because it’s a sign of weakness or the person is too far into their shell. We can share news and information about common mental illnesses, but also highlight available treatments, but we should not pressure them toward a specific solution. Instead, we can expose them gradually to knowledge with videos, articles, or books, because we can then remove the misinformation and myths that they may have heard about.
Starting Small
We have to be patient. We can’t expect immediate change, and remembering that acknowledging minor efforts, such as expressing feelings or taking a very small step in the right direction, needs to be applauded. When we encourage smaller steps, this could build into something far greater, such as seeking help. We do have to remember that any progress is better than none and should be celebrated.
Taking care of our own well-being is just as important when we’re supporting others because we can easily fall into the trap of being the rescuer, and this means that we should respect our own boundaries. You can create an environment where seeking help is normalized and gently encouraged, and remember that when you are on the journey of helping someone, something like everyday stress is enough to wear us down, and remembering that recovery and relief are things that we all deserve.
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