[THREAD] let’s talk about how to care for a loved one who is going through mental health issues. Let’s split it into two categories. The first one being how to properly care for the person who is in need of help and the second is about how the helper can make sure that their own

mental health doesn’t suffer as a consequence of that. Let’s start with the first point. Helping someone who is struggling psychologically is not easy. It is hard to see our loved ones struggling, changing before our own eyes, and going down that spiral. We feel that their

spark is slowly going away and wonder when it will come back. Our instincts may tell us to force them to get up and do something, or force them to go to treatment. However, best thing to do in these situations is to simply be there for them, let the person who is struggling

dictate how they want to be helped. They may not ready for treatment or may need more time, and it is perfectly acceptable. The only exceptions for forcing treatment is when they might be a danger to themselves or others and/or psychosis. This can be very frustrating for the

helper who simply wants to see their loved one feel better and know what may help them. Patience can grow thin but it is important to let the person who needs help say how they want to be helped. As for how the helper can protect their own mental health while fully invested in

helping their loved one. The most important thing to do is to only expand the energy that you have. If you feel frustrated, sad, or angry because it is taking too long or the person you are helping is not getting treatment, then it is important to take a step back. Taking breaks

and focusing on your own mental health is very important. If kept unchecked, it can be a slippery slope towards depression. That’s why it is important to have more than one person helping out the person who is struggling. That way, there can be a rotation and the helpers are

not put in an impossible situation. This is really important because mental health can take a big toll and sometimes a long-term one on the helper. Credit to @RizamUmer for asking me to write about this thread. I hope that this thread was a little helpful