How to Help Youth People with their Mental Health

How to help young people with their mental health

The first thing to make clear if engaging with someone with bad mental health is that it feels scary but is easier if we approach it somehow similarly to general physical health.

Every person has mental health and at times it is good or even great. Other times it is bad or a real, deeper problem.

Just like we would not ignore someone lying on the floor bleeding we need to start helping people with bad mental health. Also, just like the bleeding person on the floor we need to be wise and assess if we either call in experts or help put on a dressing and encourage healing.

Top 10 tips to help young people with their mental health:

1. Create a culture where it is normal to talk about it. Do not be afraid of mental health! It’s normal! It’s natural! Everyone has it! Encourage others to think about it the same way and talk openly about it. (e.g. rather than just asking ‘How are you?’ and expecting an answer like ‘I am okay but got a bit of a cold.’ go deeper and ask about their stress levels or ask ‘How is your thinking?’)
2. Talk to all the individuals you meet/engage with and ask deep questions, read their reactions and do not feel awkward to ask again or to ask follow-up questions. (The biggest problem is often overcoming the silence. Once someone starts talking, they are generally on their way to better mental health.)
3. Provide safe and comfortable spaces where people can just come and be. Ideally, a place for young people should have a feeling of warmth, peace and an opportunity to just turn off for a bit. If you don’t know where to start ask the young people themselves about what would help them to relax and turn off for a bit (possibly literally turn their mobiles off for a bit or find a space without mobile reception).
4. Pray and see what the Bible has to say about it. There are many examples of bad mental health in the Bible (including Elijah in 1 Kings 19 and Jesus sweating blood in Luke 22:44). Remember that God made us and understands every atom in our bodies as well as every thought, its reasons and knows the best way forward. Ask the Holy Spirit for help, wisdom, love and guidance.
5. ‘Journey Together’[1]. This is an approach where you do programs, trips, educational activities, Bible studies etc together as partners rather than just teacher and student -style approaches. This might often include the young person organising a lot of the trip/activity. The sense of purpose, confidence and belonging conveyed by this helps a lot on a way to better mental health.
6. Include mental health and struggles people have in the prayers you say in church and in youth groups. This again normalises and helps people to think about their mental health as well as making them aware that God is also in charge of this area of life.
7. Challenge and change peoples’ labels. Often mental health conditions or episodes leave long-lasting stigma, labels and problems of identity. A person is so much more than a bad episode or a condition. It can be very encouraging and is very loving to remind them about who they are and all that entails (including and often centring on ‘a creation of God’ – or even a child of God if a Christian; John 1:12; Galatians 4:7).
8. Provide and/or connect to support activities, networks and professionals. Often, the most difficult step for young people to getting the support they need is the reaching out and asking for help. It takes away a lot of the fear if you can connect them with others and professionals.
9. Encourage young people in the things they are doing already but also encourage them to try new opportunities. Stretch their boundaries in challenging but safe ways that don’t put too much stress onto them.
10. Boost general healthy behaviour by encouraging physical health, active life-styles and healthy food. It’s important for the young people to understand that physical and mental health are intrinsically linked.

The add-on. Here are five ideas to help you and others practically and more immediately with mental health.

‘Mind and Soul Foundation’s Five ideas to help with your mental health:

1. Write down or talk about three things every day that were good/that went well
2. What are your emotional five a day? (e.g. time with God, chat with a friend, time for yourself, limiting stress…) Find your individual 5 and ‘take them’ every day.
3. Let’s talk honestly. Talk to people you trust and be honest that you are sometimes not well.
4. Self-acceptance – Look at your emotions and reactions and accept that they are real and part of you.
5. Remember to do the ‘little things’ (a cuppa, a shave, a dog walk with no phone…)

[1] An expression which stems from a new approach by the NHS where service-users and their ‘helpers’ do educational programs and similar as a joined experience (see also ‘Recovery Friendly Churches’).