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Being prepared to help in a mental health crisis

Hannah Wei
/
Unsplash

If you got a call today from a friend in the midst of a mental health crisis, or simply noticed that a friend was behaving strangely in a way that indicated something was wrong, would you feel comfortable initiating a conversation? Would you know what questions to ask, or how to ask them? Would you know how to respond or what to offer if you heard things that you were not prepared to hear?

The time to educate yourself on these questions – and many more – is not the moment that you get the phone call or see desperate and unusual behaviors. The time to have those answers is now.

Are you aware of the de-escalation resources in Wichita that can help people cope with or avoid triggering situations? Do you have a mental health crisis card in your purse or in your wallet, and is it filled out? Would you know what to do with the card when a stranger invariably hands theirs to you?

Part of being an advocate for your friends and family is knowing how and when to intervene when you become aware of an issue that the person you love is unable to handle on their own. And initiating that conversation is vital. But once initiated, there is a chance that you are going to hear a cry for help, and you need to know how to offer that help as well. It might be staying with the individual. It might be calling to make them an appointment with a healthcare professional. It might be staying with them until that appointment, driving them to it, and waiting for them while they receive care. If you cannot do those things, it may also mean coordinating other friends or family members to ensure the person you love isn’t left alone.

Whatever it may mean, it is surely worth doing. But make those plans now so you – and they – know that you can be counted on when it matters.

Eric Litwiller has served the south central Kansas community through his work at Mental Health Association since September of 2017. As Director of Development and Communications, he is charged with seeking the private investment required to raise awareness of the scope of mental health concerns throughout the region in an effort to eliminate the unfair stigma associated with mental illness.