Encouraging Professional Help: Bridging the Gap
While your support is invaluable, it is not a substitute for professional care. A crucial part of helping others is gently and persistently encouraging them to connect with a therapist, psychiatrist, or their primary care doctor. However, when someone is in crisis, the steps to find help can feel impossibly large.
Researching Options Together
The world of mental healthcare can be confusing. Offer to help them navigate it. You can sit with them and research options. Explain some common, evidence-based therapies.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A structured therapy that helps people identify and change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Focuses on accepting difficult feelings and committing to actions aligned with one’s personal values.
You can help them look at their insurance provider’s website for in-network therapists or explore directories from reputable organizations like the American Psychological Association (APA). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also has a national helpline and treatment locator.
Offering Logistical Support
For someone in a deep depression or experiencing severe anxiety, executive functions like making a phone call or filling out paperwork can feel like climbing a mountain. This is where practical mental health support shines.
You can offer:
“Would it help if I sat with you while you made the call to schedule an appointment?”
“I can drive you to your first appointment and wait in the waiting room if you’d like.”
“Let’s look at this intake form together. We can tackle it one question at a time.”
Removing these logistical barriers can be the key that unlocks their willingness to seek care.
Preparing for a Doctor’s Visit
A visit to a primary care physician is an excellent first step. The doctor can rule out physical causes for their symptoms and provide a referral to a mental health specialist. Help your friend or partner prepare for this appointment so they can make the most of it.
Encourage them to write down:
Their main symptoms: When did they start? What makes them better or worse?
Key life events: Any major stressors, losses, or changes recently?
All current medications and supplements: This is especially important for older adults, as medication interactions can sometimes mimic symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Questions they have for the doctor: “Could this be related to my thyroid?” or “What are the next steps for getting a mental health evaluation?”
