Do You Know Someone Battling Mental Illness? These Are 3 Things You Should Never Say To Them

File photo

Most people are making efforts to ensure their mental health improves. While some still find it difficult to come out in the open about their mental health to avoid some questions that might make things more difficult. Below are some things to never say to someone battling mental illness.

Just pray about it

Prayer is powerful for many people. Centering yourself and feeling support from a higher power can be very helpful, Howes, a psychologist,  said. “[B]ut this advice alone can minimize the problem, ignore many proven medical and psychological treatments and can even make someone feel like they’re not being healed because they lack sufficient faith, which adds insult to injury.” So, you should not let them feel they do not have enough faith because their health did not get better after praying. Rather, you can offer to join them in prayers, something to show you truly care and plan to do your bit.

It is all in your head

Telling someone that the pain they’re feeling is “all in their head” diminishes the fact that depression is a serious health condition, and reduces it to something that can be fixed just by changing their thinking habits. It is not in their head, it is a feeling that they cannot get rid of, they are probably suffering a lot and going through a tough time, it will be demeaning if you tell them it is not real, it is like making a fool of their emotions.

Do not compare

People might have gone through more difficult times than what your friend is going through, it doesn’t change the fact that the person you’re talking to is still going through an emotionally draining time. Telling someone with depression that some other people have it worse will only make them feel ashamed of their feelings and make them feel worse.

***

Via TheGuardian