jennsmer

Relate's aim to de-stigmatise mental illness is a great one especially if our tendency is to try to hide the negative stuff away like abandoning kids in homes because they have learning difficulties/mental health issues. So I'm all for normalising mental illness and getting help for it, the same way you would address a broken leg ie: ask for help. Question 1: Sometimes those of us who don't have mental illness simply don't know what to say or do/react when their friend/family reports feeling low/sad/anxious/panic/worry. We might say "just snap out of it" or "don't be silly" or "why so negative all the time". It lacks empathy and understanding where the person is coming from. However, I think its important to highlight that if we say those things, it doesn't mean that we don't care and probably think we're doing what's best for them. So then, what are the ways that we can better support those with these symptoms, even if we're not trained psychologists/psychiatrists? Question 2: If I have a mental illness, or think I might do, what would you recommend I do or say to people around me (apart from seeing a professional) so that they don't get scared of me or avoid me? How can I as someone with a mental health issue, help to de-stigmatise this too?

Thanks Dr Chua!

Well, this is helpful for me but it doesn't mean I would necessarily arrive at the truth. If it's a solitary incident, I'm inclined to go clarify with the person; if it happens many times, maybe there's an underlying feeling of insecurity that I need to address in myself, or a larger issue in the friendship it would also be helpful to work out?