Take 1) Creating a Culture of mental health support Whatever role you play in a school or organization, it’s important for you and everyone you work with to be someone willing to act if a person may be in need of mental health support. This can be through starting a committee, facilitating a workshop, writing newsletters or any other way you can communicate and remind people of what to do if you are worried about someone. The culture created should be that is a collective responsibility to recognize, understand, and respond appropriately to someone experiencing a mental health issue.
Take 2) Notice the signs and trust your gut
The signs of someone who may be in need of mental health support can be obvious or subtle but it is important to notice when they happen. Has there been a change in their behavior, are they experiencing mood swings, becoming withdrawn, voicing concerns, or are they going through high levels of stress, grief, or health issues? This is often the first sign to an outsider that something may be happening to a friend or colleague. If you feel something is amiss, or there has been a change, it could be hard to place exactly what that may be. It is important to trust your gut. It is far better to try and support someone and be wrong than to have a feeling about it and fail to act.
Take 3) Have the conversation
If you suspect someone may be experiencing mental health distress, it is important to speak to them. Most of us are not trained psychologists and the conversation needs you to just ask the person if they are ok. Mention a behavior you may have noticed, share that you are worried and most importantly, actively listen with empathy. Allow them to speak and validate their feelings. We can’t fix their problems for them, but we can be a pillar of support and encouragement.
Take 4) Signpost
If the conversation has led to the person potentially needing help, it is important to signpost them to appropriate support. In schools I have worked in we have kept an up-to-date contact list of doctors and therapists faculty can access and shared this in newsletters and kept available to everyone on shared drives. This can then be used to provide the person who may be in need of support with the resources to access professional help. This is especially important in schools with staff from around the world who may be new to a country and unaware of the help available. If applicable, also share how the health insurance operates if they do seek help and a step-by-step guide on what to do. These don’t have to be country specific if resources are limited in person, there are also excellent tele-health services available that some insurances will cover the cost for if other options aren’t viable.
Take 5) Follow Up
It will often take more than one conversation and more than one attempt to signpost before a person feels safe enough to get help. Follow up with the person, ask if they were able to contact the services you signposted, offer any help such as calling to make an appointment, or accompanying them to the location.
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