I realised I had briefly touched on this topic a while back. However, there has since been more things I want to add. I still agree with what I wrote in the original instalment so feel free to have a read of that as well.

Sometimes I feel like our own mental health recovery and maintenance is seen as a solo endeavour. For example, using generic statements of advice to help people e.g. you just need to keep positive or you just have to ignore what they say. This is something I can be guilty of as well. However from experiencing it myself at times, I realised that people can need more of a visible presence and/or practical tips in their life to become more mentally healthier.

This is not something I am just saying from a Christian perspective, but we are made and need to be in community with each other to survive hence recovering from a mental health crisis and maintaining health is no different. You don’t need to have all the answers to help someone as we all have a unique journey. But it can’t always be a safe assumption that people will learn to do things in their own time. The main point I wanted to convey is that people need more reassurance that they are not alone when they are struggling and that it is all on them to get the help they need. And with that, don’t be afraid to ask the harder questions when the time is right (I’m still working on a piece for tips around this).

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you find it helpful. As always, feel free to get in touch with any questions/feedback/comments, I always love to hear them. Stay tuned for the next instalment.

Until next time

K