Mental illness or disorder is clinically described as a wide range of conditions that affect one’s mood, thinking and behaviour.
There are different types of mental disorders this includes; Depression, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Bipolar disorder that many people out here are affected with.
At home when you notice that a person avoids interaction with people including social events, has unexplained reckless behaviour, Changes in their appetite and weight, Losses of interest in activities they used to enjoy, easily angered or irritated, Losses of self-confidence or self-esteem among other unexplained behaviours that person is most probably suffering from mental illness.
Some of the mental illnesses mentioned above can take a long time for a non-professional to identify and once identified many of us don’t know how to relate with the affected persons.
According to Audrey, a teacher of special needs learners and mental health (MH) advisor, there are many people around us whom we interact with that are affected by mental disorders, she adds that if we can handle mental health issues domestically we can reduce its effects.
It is key to know how to coexist and support people affected by mental disorders because it is among the ways of helping them heal. There are many ways of supporting people with mental disorders in different environments and therapy approach is one of them.
Therapy as a solution
The professionals call it talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy. It is one way one can offer support to someone experiencing mental health challenges in a domestic context.
Through talking to them, you will be able to know what’s troubling them, how they feel and also help them come up with a solution to their dilemma. During therapy; let them share as much as they want to or as little as they can, do not push them to talk so much if they don’t want to, you should never judge or interrupt them, listen much and talk less, this way they will feel the desire to open up more, let them lead the discussion at their own pace, do not push or pressure them, paraphrase what they say which shows them that you understand the context of what has been shared and get what they are going through.
“Sharing out your fears and troubles require a lot of courage and trust, this is because some people build barriers around them thus finding it hard to open up to other people. You might be the first person they are opening up to, the best option is to give them time and be patient,” says Audrey.
She also reiterates the need to approach people once you’ve noticed changes in their behaviour because waiting and hoping they will come to you might waste valuable time in getting the help they need or they might just never come to you instead suffer the pain in silence.
You don’t have to agree with all or what they are saying but listen and understand them from their unique world as this will make them feel that you respect their feelings.
Do not diagnose
After listening to the affected persons if you are not a trained practitioner you’re advised not to diagnose. Remember that you are not an expert, avoid diagnosing the person or naming the mental illness you might think the person is having as this can expose the individual to more harm than the intended good due to misdiagnosis.
You can assist them in seeking professional help by providing information on ways to do this or also can offer to go to a professional with them.
Sometimes the mentally ill might be a danger to themselves or others, if you believe beyond reasonable doubt that they are a danger to themselves or a danger to society, act fast and seek professional help.
We always assume that those affected by mental issues should be left to the mercies of professions but this shouldn’t be the case, because recovery is recorded most when the person is supported through the journey to recovery by their significance others.
It is our collective duty to be the change catalyst by asking ourselves these questions; “Am I enabling the undesired behavior change to recur or Am I empowering the desired behavior change to be reinforced?”