5 Ways to Help the Mental Health of a Loved One

Today, we have another guest post by the lovely Eleanor from Not-So-Modern Girl. At Mind and Body Intertwined, we’ve talked a lot about helping yourself. However, today we’ll talk about how to help a loved one when their mental health is declining. Without further ado, let’s read what she has to say.

5 Ways to Help the Mental Health of a Loved One

Looking out for your mental health is so important- but sometimes it’s also necessary to look out for someone else’s mental health. Whether it’s your friend, your daughter, your brother, or your husband- looking out for another person’s mental health is so important when they’re feeling low.

Here I’ve put together a list of 5 ways you can help the mental health of a loved one. These are only small things- and of course if someone seems to be really struggling, professional help needs to be sought out. 

However, by considering these ideas you could support someone in their mental health journey, helping them take steps to look after themselves- and show that you care about what they’re going through, particularly during these tough times.

1. Reach out

This is so important. Sometimes all a loved one wants is for you to be there. Whether it’s a friend or parent that you want to support, sending a quick message or even just asking how they’re doing can help their mental health a lot.

If you’re feeling low, someone taking the first step and reaching out to you is so important, so be that support for your loved one and help them express their issues in a relaxed, supportive environment. Or, if they just need to have a chat with you about something else to take their mind off everything- that’s fine too!

2. Make them take a break

Often mental health issues revolve around stress. So, if your loved one is low or stressed or burned-out- try and get them to take a break. This may be hard sometimes, but you need to take regular breaks if you’re swamped at work, or if you’re letting yourself get stressed over small things. 

Take your loved one for a run, suggest they join a class (once lockdown restrictions are lifted), or even suggest a date night to give your partner a well-earned break.

3. Watch out for their hygiene

When a loved one becomes stressed or low, personal hygiene often goes out of the window. Taking a bath can be a perfect way to unwind and forget your troubles- so a good way to look out for the mental health of your loved one is to push them to make time for self-care. 

Run them a bath, give them time to shower in peace, or even buy them a new bath bomb. Anything that will make them feel relaxed and calm- and mean they’re looking out for their hygiene even when they’re at their lowest.

4. Buy them a present

This could be anything from a cute spontaneous bunch of flowers, to a lovely home-cooked dinner. Doing something loving for your loved one is so important to boosting their mental health- and any small act of kindness can really help your loved one know that they’re supported if they need to reach out for help. 

Random acts of kindness are so underrated, and can really show your friend, partner, or family member that you love them and you’re here for them if they ever need anything. In addition, they’ll also remind him or her of your love when you’re not around. Having something tangible around them that shows your love for them can help them in times of distress.

5. Get them help

If you feel your loved one is really struggling- encourage them to find help. While you’ll always be there, not everything can be solved with a comforting shoulder or a self-care day- so in order to look out for your loved one, remind them that professional help could be an option if they need it. 

Sometimes, all it takes is for someone you love to give you that final push to reaching out for professional help, so look out for the mental health of your loved one by showing you will support them through whatever they need.

I hope during these difficult times you’re finding ways to look out for your mental health and the mental health of your family, friends, and other loved ones. These are a few simple ways to help look out for your loved ones- and if you ever need some support, surround yourself with helpful, kind people who will be with you through thick and thin!

So all in all…

These times are difficult, the quarantine can make us feel so alone. That’s why we all need to support and help each other out. I want to thank the lovely Eleanor for this beautiful post. I also really hope it will help you when someone you love is not feeling the best. Please take a look at not-so-modern girl out, here’s her blog, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. She has all kinds of this amazing content on there. Want to read more guest posts here? Read all about men’s mental health with Concealed Voices!

Lots of love,

Eleanor and Lisa

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