Offer Support

There are many ways to help a friend or family member who is experiencing mental health challenges. Don’t be afraid to Speak Up and start the conversation. Step Up by following these simple steps:

  1. Read Up on warning signs for suicide and symptoms of mental illness.
  2. Speak Up and talk openly about what he/she is experiencing.
  3. Listen Up and really hear what he/she is saying and feeling.
  4. Link Up with local resources. Offer to get help together.
  5. Follow Up and offer continued support.

Just one person reaching out can make a difference. It’s Up to Us. Here are some more specific ideas:

  • Reassure them that they are not alone, that you care and will continue to support them.
  • Encourage them to talk openly about how they’re feeling and listen carefully. Resist the urge to give advice or talk about your own experiences.
  • If a person shares their diagnosis with you, learning more about it to understand what the person might be experiencing, what you might expect to see as a friend or loved one and how to best support them may be helpful to you both.
  • Stay in touch through regular phone calls and visits to help them feel less isolated.
  • Invite them to dinner, movies, sporting events and other activities. Even if they refuse at first, continue to issue invitations periodically.
  • Offer to run errands, cook meals, take children to activities or provide other assistance.
  • Include them in your plans for activities that you know they have enjoyed in the past. Spend time with them doing hobbies or playing sports.
  • Encourage exercise by offering to go for a walk together or engage in some other type of physical activity you know they enjoy.
  • Cook healthy meals together at your home or theirs, or offer to bring over a healthy meal on occasion.
  • Talk about the future. People who are experiencing a mental illness may have feelings of hopelessness and have trouble seeing beyond their current state.
  • Be patient and don’t push for too much too soon. Understand that they have a legitimate medical condition and that recovery takes time.
  • Point out small signs of progress, such as saying, “I see you’re working in your garden again.”
  • Offer to go with them to medical appointments to provide support.
  • Don’t ignore or dismiss remarks about suicide.
  • If someone you know needs to be connected with mental health services, please call the Helpline at (951) 686-HELP.
    Take immediate action if a friend or family member appears to be in crisis. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or 988 if someone you know is experiencing a suicidal or mental health crisis. The phone lines are answered by trained professionals available 24/7; the call is free and confidential.