{"id":128,"date":"2022-09-06T04:55:12","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T04:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/universalflyonthewall.com\/?p=128"},"modified":"2022-09-06T05:13:22","modified_gmt":"2022-09-06T05:13:22","slug":"mental-health-awareness-and-respect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/universalflyonthewall.com\/?p=128","title":{"rendered":"Mental Health – Awareness and Respect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Every year in March, my school has an event called \u201cYellow Ribbon Week\u201d which centers suicide awareness. This year, a guest speaker named Kevin Hines, who is known for surviving his jump off the Golden Gate Bridge at 19 years old, came to my school and spoke about his depression and what we can do to help support each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He explained that his peers would mock him due to his mixed ethnicity, and he felt that his family and friends would dismiss him, which resulted in him bottling up his true feelings. Eventually, when he decided to take his own life, he still felt ignored as he was visibly crying on the bus ride to the Golden Gate Bridge. Even as he stood by the railing, people walked past him.<\/p>\n\n\n
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The aftermath of Hines\u2019s attempted suicide made him realize that his family and friends truly did care for him and that they were affected by his attempt. Now, he encourages people to avoid hiding their true feelings and emphasizes that feeling sad or angry at times is normal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This made me think carefully about ways that we can help support each other, even those we\u2019re not familiar with. If people are able to recognize that something \u201csmall\u201d (whether it\u2019s avoiding a rude comment or initiating an act of kindness) can really impact someone who is upset, they might be more careful about what they say to others. Also, you may not know what is going on in someone else\u2019s personal life that might cause them to act a certain way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Hines\u2019s takeaway is to take notice and be engaged when we see someone who is struggling, but we need to be considerate and aware when we do so. You want to make sure what you\u2019re doing is actually helping the other person instead of causing more harm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s important to try to make an effort to support those struggling with depression but also realize what to avoid in order to not make the situation worse:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t give advice unless it\u2019s asked for.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Your intentions are good when you\u2019re trying to help someone feel better and think more positively. It means that you care and don\u2019t want to see someone you\u2019re close with being dragged down, but you might not realize how it can worsen the situation. <\/p>\n\n\n
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Telling someone struggling with depression what to do may make them question themselves more. They likely are already not sure what choice to make, so when you try to give them advice, it may make them doubt everything and question their own judgment. You will never be completely familiar with someone\u2019s situation, so the suggestions that you think would be best might not work for the person you\u2019re trying to help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try not to take things personally. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s frustrating when you see the same patterns happening over and over again, and even though you\u2019re trying to help, you can only do so much before it gets to you. It can be difficult to get really involved because constantly having to take notice of someone\u2019s negative thoughts might make you feel badly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you feel like this, it\u2019s important to remember that those struggling with depression are already constantly blaming themselves, so if you take things personally, it\u2019s adding the implication that they\u2019re doing this on purpose. The person you\u2019re trying to help might feel like they\u2019re not your top priority and feel like they\u2019re at fault, further adding to their burden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Communication is key when you feel like you\u2019re taking things personally and might need to take some time for yourself. Informing people about your boundaries doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t care, but your own wellbeing is also important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t downplay or ridicule someone else\u2019s experience.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
When someone you care about is going through something hard, you might feel inclined to avoid the subject or downplay it. It\u2019s easy to be in denial when someone suddenly behaves in a way you don\u2019t expect or that you\u2019re not familiar with. Belittling comments may make them feel like their struggle isn\u2019t real and can easily be resolved, when in reality it can\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n
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\u201cFiltering out negative thoughts\u201d is easier said than done. Telling someone to \u201cjust get over it\u201d makes them feel like their experience is unimportant, and they\u2019ll feel like the struggle they\u2019re facing is unjustified. You won\u2019t ever know the extent of what someone is facing, so acting like it shouldn\u2019t be there doesn\u2019t help at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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It\u2019s important to have empathy for those struggling with depression, and everyone should make their best effort to help provide support. While doing this, it\u2019s also important to think carefully about your responses and actions, as they might be more hurtful than helpful. You can help more than you think you can, and it\u2019s always better to make listening your priority.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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