Talking about mental health can be scary, so our Youth Voice Network have given us their top tips on best ways to start conversations about your mental health. Whether you're a young person or a professional, our guide below will support you to have those conversations - remember, it's YOUR mental health.
If you are a professional...
Do:
- Ask me how you can help ME - everyone is individual and the help you receive should help you
- Create a SAFE and OPEN environment where I can share how I feel
- Allow TIME for me to speak - if doctors appear in a rush, a young person is much less likely to delve into their mental health because they don’t want to get in the way of your schedule
- REASSURE me when I am feeling low
- SUPPORT me when I have to make difficult decisions
- Allow me to talk and COMMUNICATE with my doctor and clinicians without my parents – i.e. my epilepsy nurse gave me her work email and said I could email her about anything
Don't:
- DISMISS my views and feelings
- Make them seem INVALID
- FORCE me to open up or get angry at me for not wanting to share my feelings
- TREAT me differently
If you are a friend...
Do:
- Be OPEN about how you’re feeling
- DO what makes you feel better, like writing, dancing or whatever you enjoy
- SAY NO - It is okay if you feel like you do not want to go out and see friends if you feel pressured to do so. Your mental health always comes first!
- Have a ROUTINE for going to bed, getting up in the morning, taking your meds, etc. it is key to having better mental health, and physical health too. Even though having structure can seem boring and tedious, in the long run, it is always worth it as it gives you more control over your life!
- SPEAK to your friends or family
- Share your anxieties. No matter how big or small the problem is, getting your anxieties out of your system is key to not feeling like a pressure cooker! The people that love you will NEVER JUDGE you for what you say and will simply want to be there for you
- Be HONEST with yourself
- Accept that you are not okay, even though it is sometimes the hardest thing. Once you ACCEPT the problem that you have, you can try and fix it!
- TALK to your neurologist. Even though it can be hard and seem futile, your neurologist will put you on the right track and hopefully pass you onto the right team. E.g. for me, I was passed onto the neuropsychiatry team and it changed my life for the better. Always be HOPEFUL!
Don't:
- Say yes simply to PLEASE OTHERS
- IGNORE your mental health, your body, and its needs
- HOLD IN how you feel because you are worried about what others will think
- PRETEND that everything is okay when it is not, as this can easily lead to a downward spiral mentally, physically and socially
- NOT SPEAK to your neurologist
