Recognising a mental health issue and giving support

Everyone deals with emotional ups and downs. But how can you tell if that stress, sadness, or anxiety is just part of life or something more? It can be easy to tell yourself or someone else to "move on," "snap out of it," or "look on the bright side." However, for someone dealing with a mental health challenge, this would mean dangerously covering up or minimising a serious problem.

The stigma attached to mental health issues can prevent you or someone you know from seeking help. Knowing more about mental illness will make you aware of when support is needed to help yourself or someone you care about feel better and prevent a situation from becoming more serious.

Common signs and symptoms of mental health issues

It can be difficult to tell the difference between everyday moodiness, sadness or stress and mental illness. Take notice if you or your loved ones’ patterns of behaviour change. Look out for changes that hint at an underlying mental health issue. Symptoms usually last for many weeks or months and you may notice changes in mood, routine and self-care (e.g., appetite and sleep).

Anxiety. It’s normal to get anxious before a big event, like a presentation or exam, but signs of a more serious issue could be at play when these worries or fears interfere with everyday life.

Look for long periods of intense worry. Or physiological responses that persist, like:

• shaking
• muscle tension
• rapid heart rate
• dizziness
• perspiration
• cold hands and feet
• shortness of breath
• insomnia

Avoiding events where there are performance expectations can also point to an anxiety disorder, which is the most common mental health challenge.

Depression. This isn’t just a case of feeling sad or feeling down. Depression symptoms can vary from person to person, and may include sadness, lack of interest in activities, low energy, and isolation. If symptoms last two weeks or more then there may be a serious underlying problem. For a person with depression, everyday tasks may become impossible because they feel completely unmotivated or exhausted. Often this is because they’re having trouble sleeping. Other common signs of depression include a change in eating habits and social withdrawal.

Bipolar disorder. This is a condition of extreme emotional highs and lows that aren’t just passing mood swings. Manic or depressed phases can stay with people for days or even months. During these extremes of mania (highs) and depression (lows), it may be impossible for them to function normally. They may be completely withdrawn and refusing to leave their bed, or unable to sleep or sit still because their thoughts are continually racing.

Keep in mind that the symptoms of mental illness can vary from person to person and are best assessed by a mental health professional. You or the person you are worried about should reach out to a GP if there are concerns. 

Supporting someone with a mental health issue

A friend or family member’s mental illness can also take a toll on your own physical and emotional health. The best way to cope is to arm yourself with knowledge.

Here are some positive ways to support someone in this situation:

Stay supportive. The first reaction of many loved ones is to try to solve the problem or say things like “don’t worry”. You’ll definitely be more helpful by being available and supportive than trying to take away the illness or distress. And minimising the situation will only slow the recovery down and possibly close off the lines of communication. Instead, focus on listening to what your loved one is really saying, keep an open-mind, and offer words of empathy and encouragement. If your loved one hasn’t already, suggest they seek help from a professional. Doing this can remove some of the stigma associated with mental health support.

Find out all you can. Read books and review websites on mental health issues and mental illness so that you are more able to understand the situation and deal with your own concerns or frustrations effectively. The more you know, the more helpful you’ll be to your loved one.

Get help yourself. The more emotionally and physically healthy you are, the more supportive you’ll be. Build a support system of your own to make sure you can be around for your loved one for as long as they need you. Whether it’s a friend, counsellor or spiritual advisor, find a supportive person you can confide in, vent to and glean insights from. Just make sure whoever you do talk to is respectful of confidentiality.

Remember that mental illness doesn’t define someone. Few people want to discuss their problems all the time; people need to laugh, socialise and engage in everyday activities, whether it’s going to lunch, meeting up for a walk or chatting over coffee. Let your loved one take the lead. If they want to talk about their challenges, listen. But if they just want to spend time with you, be there for that as well.