There are so many “awareness” campaigns in today’s world. Breast cancer awareness, autism awareness, bullying awareness…but what does it all really mean? What should we be looking out for? When should we be looking for it? Who should we be contacting when we find it? All questions that anyone would have when we are told to be aware of something. When it comes to our mental health, awareness is an especially onerous task. 

And why? Because it’s something we can see. We can feel for a lump to detect breast cancer, we can run tests to find autism, we can identify and eliminate bullying when we see it. But what are things that we should be looking for when it comes to someone going through a mental health emergency? I’ve compiled a list of 3 important signs that may indicate someone is going through a mental health emergency. 

1. Distance:

   1. Where is your person? Unexpected chunks of time off from work, missing group functions (like hangouts, or boys/girls nights out), and missed calls can all be signs of an underlying mental health issue. Speaking from experience, this could come from us thinking “I can handle this on my own, I just need time to clear my head”. The most obvious sign of someone that may be going through something is a silent disappearance from social media. We all know about that person that announces I AM TAKING A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, which is actually a call for help. When you go to check on your person online and you can’t find them: there may be a problem. Especially if they do it silently.

   2. To help people who make distance, don’t be in a rush to close it. Build a bridge if you haven’t already. And if you do have a bridge, don’t cross it like ambulance/police – sirens blazing. Some of us are quick to alarm everyone that their friend/employee/family member is missing, creating an unwanted and unnecessary search party. In the end all this does is create a longer bridge between you and the other person. One they may not cross anytime soon. We must give people grace, privacy, and time. Create the bridge by being direct, with a soft approach. Something like “I’ve noticed you’ve been distant, I just want to let you know I’m here for you”. Speaking from experience, this does a lot: it lets me know you’re concerned, and when I’m out of my current funk I’m more willing to tell you about what was bothering me. 

2. Constantly Up Late At Night

   1. Ever got a response to a text at 3am? You may respond “what were you doing up at 3am?”. Your person may be living a late-night life because that’s when they find their peace. Daytime can be quite overwhelming for someone living with a metal health condition. A phone that doesn’t stop ringing, traffic, children, our spouses, and our jobs can all add to our problems. So, to avoid this, we can turn nocturnal: watching recorded shows, browsing social media, even grocery shopping can all happen at night. 

   2. You can assist this person by sending them messages when you prepare for bed. You are getting ready for bed at 9PM is when your person may just be starting their “day”. It would be great to have a conversation when you are preparing for bed and the other person is just starting their day because there isn’t too much going on for either of you. 

3. Change In Attitude/Behavior 

   1. Being short, or defensive can be a sign of a mental health challenge. In my personal experience, it was a friend who thought they didn’t need to take their medication anymore. Of course, when they stopped taking their medication, the symptoms of their underlying issue came to the surface. I’ve been on both sides of this: I have been the aggressor and the one to receive the aggression. It was because I wasn’t taking care of myself. Lashing out was a defense mechanism. 

   2. DO NOT match aggression with aggression! Let the other person calm own or come back to whatever you know as “normal” for your person. One thing that I’ve learned about apologies is that they have to come when the other person is ready. When the other person is ready to speak with you, they are likely to explain what is going on. 

Awareness can mean a lot of different things to a lot of people. Once we spot signs of a possibility, what do we do? I am a national ambassador for a great mental health organization called NAMI. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They offer free mental health resources and programs to those living with a mental health condition as well as their caregivers. They are in every state and it’s more than likely that there is a NAMI affiliate near you. Visit www.nami.org to find out more about NAMI and how they can assist you. Another great resource for recognizing early signs of mental health challenges can be found at Mental Health America's page on warning signs.

To learn more about my journey and how it has shaped my work in mental health awareness, I invite you to explore my story. If you're interested in diving deeper into my mission and the work I'm doing, feel free to visit my website for more insights and resources.