Given the recent economic issues, Miami has seen an increase in mental health issues. Many Miami residents don’t have access to the necessary mental health resources and services to help them.
So, if you have a friend or a loved one who has mental health issues, here are a few basic things you can do to help them. This may not be a deal to you, but it can mean a lot to your friends and loved ones.
OFFER EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Emotional support is the best support you can offer to a person with mental issues. Just listening to someone vent take a huge burden off of them. If they feel lonely, you can offer reassurance and remain calm when people try to explain their issues.
Encourage your loved ones to open up and seek help. In the beginning, they may not listen to you, but they’ll most likely give in if you’re patient enough.
LOOK INTO RESOURCES
In addition to emotional support, you can look into resources to help your loved ones, such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness in Miami or other similar organizations.
These organizations have information on non-profit mental health organizations that can be useful for your loved ones. You can even talk to the representatives in these organizations to take guidance on things you can do to help your loved ones.
CHECK UP ON THEM REGULARLY
Sometimes you might not hear from your friends or loved ones if they have a mental illness. This is because their illness prevents them from reaching out for help. What you can do instead is to reach out to them yourself and check up on them. You can also invite them or offer to come over to do activities with them.
ENGAGE THEM WITH ACTIVITIES THEY ENJOY
Including people with mental illnesses in a group, activities can often be difficult because they need their own space. In such cases, you can try making solo plans with them to do activities they enjoy. It’ll help them open up more and may compel them to seek professional help. Moreover, their favorite activities may distract them from their day-to-day lives.
CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES
You can take your friends and loved ones to seminars and workshops designed for mental illness in Miami. These places are filled with experts willing to help others. So your friend might reach out to them or look at resources and programs for mental illness and mental health counseling. Just remember the results aren’t always the main goal. Sometimes progress is what’s needed with mental illness.
TAKE A LOOK AT HELPING MIAMI WITH RESOURCES
On Helping Miami’s website, you’ll find several resources and services for mental health for people living in Miami. From our website, you can find non-profit mental health organizations, resources for autism, and educational resources for children in Miami. If you want to learn more, get in touch with us.