For those struggling with mental health issues, one common piece of advice is to reach out for help. However, this isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds. Help can mean a lot of different things, and the specific type of help you need will vary depending on your situation, so it can be difficult to know where to go. There are also a lot of anxieties that come with asking for help, especially if it’s someone you haven’t broached the subject with before. So here are some ways to alleviate some of this stress and reach out for mental health help in a way that will meet your needs.
Acknowledge Your Feelings
The first step is to come to an understanding about your mental state. It’s easy to minimize your struggles, and think that others have it worse than you, so you should just push through. Instead of trying to reason yourself out of feeling bad, practice acknowledging ‘I’m not okay.’
Choose Someone To Talk To
The next step is to choose someone to talk to. For some, it might be easiest to talk to someone close to you that you trust, such as a parent, partner, or friend. For others, it may be easier to talk to someone you don’t know at all, such as a therapist. There is no right or wrong choice, only what feels most comfortable to you.
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Write Down Your Concerns
Before beginning the conversation, you might find it helpful to write down how you’re feeling first. This can help you keep tabs on some of the different thoughts you’ve been having, and will make it easier to articulate what’s going on. This can also be therapeutic on its own, since putting these feelings down on paper can put them in a new perspective.
Decide What Kind Of Support You Want
Another helpful thing to think about is what kind of support you’re looking for. It may be that you just want to vent for a bit. Maybe you would like to seek counseling, but the thought of picking up the phone makes you anxious — this may be a situation where a friend can help you out and make the call for you. Whatever the case may be, going in with an idea of what you want can be helpful not only for you, but also for the person you’re confiding in.
Pick A Comfortable Time And Place
Finally, pick a time and place to reach out that works for you and make a plan. This might be a one-to-one conversation, a text message, email, or phone call. You don’t have to rush into it, but having a set date and time will help keep you accountable.
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