Getting support is always a great way to help with mental illnesses. You can find that most people with mental illness suffer less with some sort of support system in place. Getting help is easy, most of the time you can rely on family and friends but you can also rely on other support systems such as your doctor or therapists.
What does support mean?
A simple way to put it is that support is to help or assist someone who may need it. To help someone with mental illnesses means you are helping them to deal with their mental illness or find ways to cope. It also helps them to feel fewer negative feelings and to learn ways to tend to those feelings to bring them a positive way through the day!
Type of support you can get
There are several types of support you can get and depending on your mental illness and the way you feel in general; you can decide what’s best for you. So here is a list of support you can get:
- Speak to your GP – GP can diagnose and give you information on your mental illness.
- Family – family can be there for you when things feel rough or you’re having a bad day. They can also assist you when you need someone to talk to, go with you to appointments and help you with research.
- Friends – just like family, they can be there for you however you may not be as comfortable to tell your friends about your mental illness so family is always the best option. However, friends can be trusted and can help you however you need it.
- Therapies – therapies offer you a chance to get out your feelings and find ways to cope with your mental illness.
- Research and online articles – this support helps to give you knowledge about your mental health and offer ways to help cope.
- Self-care – individual self-care is a form of coping method but also, I find this a good way to support your own mental wellbeing.
- Social groups – social groups can offer you to be around people who have been through similar or the same things as you. You may find that it will help you by seeing others have been through the same things and also offer friendship and support.
How to get support
We went through different types of support so now I will explain how you can get this support and if there are ways to do it alone or with another person.
- Talking to the GP. The GP can offer you a huge range of support and get you into support groups, therapies and refer you to get the help you need. Ask your GP what support they can offer!
- Family and friends. It’s important to know your family and friends are there for you so do not be anxious to talk to them. Tell them what’s going on and how they can help, you will find they will do anything they can to help.
- Therapies and support groups. You can find ways to get into therapy sessions or support groups easily through the internet but if you are unsure then you can ask your GP, they can refer you.
- Call up helplines designed especially for mental health by using the internet and finding trusted support sites. You can phone them and they’ll listen, there are also chat rooms for this sort of thing!
Why is it important to ask for help?
Getting support is always important to help you to cope with your mental illness. It offers you a system to help you to get back into a routine which can help you to get back on track with your day-to-day lifestyle. Some people suffer more than others with mental illness so getting support can allow them to learn about their mental illness which opens up options and gives them their confidence back. A lot of people suffer from feelings such as loneliness, anxiety, fear etc. and having a support bubble will allow them to open up more of their feelings.
Self-care ways to support yourself
You can support yourself without the need of doctors and therapies. Some people prefer to cope alone but remember, keeping it bottled up is never good for anyone! But if you still decide to cope alone because of anxiety or so there are many ways to support yourself through self-care. Here are some examples:
- Researching your specific mental illness and educating yourself
- Finding hobbies that help you to cope with it (exercise, gaming etc)
- Try to avoid drugs and alcohol
- Don’t overwork yourself or overdo it, take every day at a steady pace.
- Try to keep a good sleep schedule
- Do not isolate yourself from others
- Try to talk to someone about your feelings, you may not want help but talking can really help you feel better!
Conclusion
Support is important especially with mental illness. Having that support bubble can really make you feel better and you will find your day-to-day life doesn’t suffer because you have that support. Finding the right support for you may take some time but once you have it you know you can use it for your own good and this in return really makes it much easier to cope with your mental illness and you won’t have to bear it alone. It’s important to know you’re not alone and others suffer mental illness too! So, once you have found the support you need, always stick to it for your own mental wellbeing and educate others around you.