How to Support a Loved One Struggling with Mental Health
When someone we love is struggling with their mental health, our first instinct may be to fix what is hurting them. We want to find the right words, offer the perfect advice, or somehow take away their pain. But sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can offer is not an answer. It is our presence.
Start by Listening
Supporting someone through a difficult season begins with listening. Truly listening means putting aside judgment, assumptions, and the urge to immediately solve the problem. It means allowing someone to say, “I’m not okay,” without making them feel as though they need to apologize for it.
Sometimes a person does not need to be told that everything will be fine. They simply need to know they do not have to face the difficult moments alone.
Offer Compassion, Not Judgment
Compassion is equally important. Mental health struggles are not a character flaw, a lack of willpower, or a choice. Anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and other mental health challenges can affect anyone.
Offering compassion means recognizing the person’s experience without minimizing it. Saying, “I may not fully understand what you’re experiencing, but I am here to listen,” can be far more powerful than offering advice that wasn’t requested.
Encourage Professional Help
Supporting a loved one also means encouraging professional help when it is needed. A friend or family member can provide love, encouragement, and companionship. However, they cannot replace a qualified mental health professional.
Helping someone find a therapist, offering to drive them to an appointment, or simply encouraging them to reach out can be an important expression of care.
Remember That Healthy Boundaries Matter
At the same time, supporting someone does not mean carrying their entire burden yourself. Healthy boundaries matter. You can love someone deeply while recognizing that you cannot be available at every moment or solve every problem.
Taking care of your own emotional well-being allows you to remain a source of support without losing yourself in the process.
Remind Them They Are Not Alone
Perhaps the greatest gift we can give someone who is struggling is the reminder that their difficult season does not define their entire story. Mental health challenges can make people feel isolated or hopeless. They may also feel as though they have become a burden to others.
A simple message can provide a powerful sense of connection when it is needed most: “You matter to me. I am not going anywhere. You don’t have to go through this alone.”
We may not always be able to take away another person’s pain. But we can sit beside them in it. We can listen without judgment, love without conditions, encourage without pressure, and remind them that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
Sometimes, healing begins with something very simple: knowing that someone cares enough to stay.
Crisis Hotlines & Lifelines
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. Chat is also available through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988, then press 1, or text 838255.
- Disaster Distress Helpline: Call or text 1-800-985-5990 for crisis counseling related to natural or human-caused disasters.
- Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) for support during or after pregnancy.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential referrals to mental health and substance use treatment services.
SAMHSA
Online Mental Health Resources
- FindTreatment.gov: Search for mental health and substance use treatment programs in your area.
- FindSupport.gov: Find information about mental health resources, treatment options, and coping strategies.
- Screen4Success: A screening tool designed to help parents and caregivers identify whether a child may need additional support
Please get in touch if you would like to speak with someone.