Expert Advice: Mental Distress
With the end of the holiday season, the remainder of the cold winter months can seem to stretch on forever. It is not uncommon to feel a little blue coming down from the euphoria of celebrations and being surrounded by loved ones. For most people this post-holiday haze will clear away in a week or two. While this is a fairly mild response to the end of the holiday season, others may face a harder struggle during this time such as the absence of a loved one. These months following the holidays are also common for break-ups, seasonal depression and financial stress due to overspending.
Most people will work through feelings associated with post- holiday situations with little or no assistance. Others may need more support.
It is important to watch for signs that indicate a person could be experiencing a mental health crisis.
Some things to look for:
Significant changes in personality
Changes in sleep patterns and/or appetite
Vague statements that suggest the person is experiencing despair or hopelessness
Inability to perform everyday activities
Withdrawing/isolating from others
Excessive anxiety, anger or crying
Substance abuse
Knowing when and how to help someone can be difficult.
It is easy to turn away and shrug it off as a bad day for fear of over-reacting. Trainings such as Mental Health First Aid at Valeo are available to the general public and teach people how to support someone who might be experiencing a mental health crisis.
Finding the appropriate time and place to approach the person and engage them in conversation is a good first step.
Express your concern and what you have noticed without judgment. Sometimes just listening can give great relief and support to a person. We often forget how helpful empathy and hope can be to someone who feels alone in their struggle.
Encourage the person to seek past supports or offer to help them research new ones.
Support groups, mental health services and substance recovery programs are good places to start. Employee assistance programs (EAP’s) are another great resource and are completely confidential. Keeping in mind, not everyone wants or needs professional help but seeing a primary care doctor can be a good first step to rule out any physical causation.
Lastly any attempt to reach out to someone is worth the effort.
Even if the person does not want support at this time, let them know you are there if a future need arises.
