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Mental Illness

Keri Cobb

Department of Business, University of Wilmington University

ENG 122: English Composition

Instructor: Frank Patton

August 17, 2023

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Mental Illness

While researching mental illness, I have found that there are a lot of opinions and stigmas that

exist. If I was able to find these things, I am sure that individuals who suffer from a mental illness saw

them too and can become discouraged when needing someone to talk to about what they are

experiencing. People who experience mental health crises may find it difficult to ask for or seek help. I

have attempted to narrow down the importance of noticing mental illness and what we, as a society,

can do to assist.

Mental illness may not be easily detected but once it is noticed in an individual, it should not be

ignored. Many people, suffer from mental illness in silence because they are afraid of what people may

say or think about them. The stigma that surrounds mental illness is that a person is weird, dangerous,

or incompetent. It is also a stigma when a person is mocked or called weak for wanting help with a

mental illness. This is the very reason people should get involved and assist those who may have one of

the many mental health illnesses. Serious mental illnesses, also known as SMI’s include major

depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-

traumatic stress (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (VA). You might ask how can someone help

when their friend or loved one is going through a mental illness? To assist a friend or loved one, that is

experiencing a mental illness or episode, we should be more attentive, actively listen, and be incredibly

supportive.

When an individual is suffering from a mental illness, society wants to turn a deaf hear and

pretend that nothing is wrong. This is why it is important for friends and family to become involved and

pay attention. We should recognize if a person’s mood changes. Rethink Mental Illness says, “Whilst

everyone experiences mood swings to a certain degree, extreme mood swings can be characteristic of

mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, and are a symptom of other mental illnesses

including schizoaffective disorder and personality disorders”. (2023) A lot of times, people with mental
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illness are crying out for help and we should listen. If mental illness is not taken care of from the start, it

can easily escalate and create more issues as opposed to it being treated in the beginning. If treated it

may very well promote a healthier lifestyle for the individual.

Listening to an individual with mental illness is important. Listening to understand what the

person is experiencing is key. In addition to this, your response should exhibit that you have understood

what the person has said, look for additional information if necessary, and show extreme empathy with

their feelings. While listening to understand, we should avoid arguing back or thinking of ways to

convince them to change their mind. Do not interrupt. Even if they begin to criticize you, just listen.

Criticism usually comes from the disease and has nothing to do with you.

When a person is suffering from mental illness, it is also important to let them know that they

are not alone and reassure them that you are there to love and support them all the way through it. The

best way to do this is without judgement. During this process, do not be afraid to ask them questions

about their feelings. Express to them how you are concerned and that help, such as therapy, is available.

Sometimes it is helpful to just allow them to talk about their problems and to know you are actively

listening.

When dealing with an individual who is going through a mental health crisis you must give them

your undivided attention. Do away with all distractions. So many of us depend on our cell phones and/or

computers. This is a cause of distraction. Turn everything off. You can show interest in the conversation

with body language such as leaning forward or adding an occasional comment, like “right,” “really,” etc.

Montare Behavioral Health says in an article that we should “Avoid interrupting, criticizing, or giving

advice.” (2023) Focus on them and put all other things aside. To be more attentive to an individual with

mental illness you can also commit to not talk. Take this time to absorb what the other person has to say.

Focus less on your own thoughts and become better at paying attention to the thoughts of the person

facing a mental health illness. Many times, we are extremely focused on how we are going to respond.
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Repeating what the individual is saying in your mind can help you not think about anything else in the

moment. Your presence is most important. Just show up, make yourself comfortable, and remember that

you are there for them. To be attentive, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

(SAMHSA) gives good advice in an article and tells us that “Reassuring your friend or family member that

you care about them” and “Offering to help your friend or family member with everyday tasks” is very

helpful and supportive if an individual is showing signs of a mental health problem.

Many of us forget that we all can use one of the most effective tools to help an individual who is

experiencing a mental health crisis. That tool is listening. When trying to reach a conclusion to gain an

understanding, it is easy to just listen. However, when dealing with someone going through a mental

health situation, you must listen actively. Mental Health First Aid says in one of their articles “For a

person experiencing a mental health problem, having an empathetic listener can be calming and

reassuring – even healing.” (2023) Empathy is different from sympathy. To listen with empathy, you

must not be nonjudgmental and understand that silence is golden. The person may not have the words

but allow them to talk at their own pace. While you are actively listening, another tip to follow is to

make eye contact. However, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says “Note that in

some cultures, excessive eye contact can be seen as inappropriate, aggressive, or rude. Be intent, but do

not stare.” (2023) Look at them gently. You want to be sure that they know you are listening because

you care and not looking as if they are a problem. Making eye contact can also create a bond with the

individual and make them feel safe. Making eye contact can also allow you both to focus on the

conversation and increase the ability for you both to gain a better understanding of the conversation.

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety tells us to “Listen and allow the person to speak.”

(2023) It is especially important, that while listening, “Do not interrupt. You may want to “fix” things,

but if you have not heard the entire situation, you may be fixing the wrong issue.” (2023) “A good

listener is someone who listens to the speaker to receive and interpret messages accurately. No one
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likes to communicate with a person who cares only about what they have to say. That is why, to become

a good communicator, you need to be a good listener too.” (One Education, 2023) This will allow the

individual to build trust and become more comfortable talking to you.

To be incredibly supportive of an individual with a mental illness is most important. Validating

what they are saying is a way to do this. When people are struggling mentally, most of the time, they

want to be heard. Validation tells the person that what they are saying makes sense. You may not have

ever been in a situation they the individual is describing. However, if you give them validation, it shows

them that the way they are feeling is ok. Statements like “this must be very important to you,” I am here

for you,” or I understand how that could get you upset,” is a way to validate an individual’s feelings.

People do not always know how to deal with difficult emotions. However, once the person builds

enough courage to speak about what they are feeling, your response can have a major impact on how

they manage the situation. Do not talk about the person who is having a mental health crisis. DON’T

GOSSIP. Child Mind Institute says, “If a friend confides in you, respect their trust and don’t share more

than they would want.” (2023) Can you imagine confiding in someone and another person is calling you

to talk about it? Information that you wanted to be private. Not only can this be embarrassing but, can

also make the person’s mental health worse and have them make decisions that can be very

detrimental. Yes, a good gossip session can bring joy and happiness sometimes, but it should not be at

the expense of someone’s trauma. Gossiping can also make you look bad. People may not trust you if

you gossip about someone else. Keep the information confidential. To be supportive, we should also be

understanding of what the individual can or cannot do. If they do not want to hang out with you every

time you want to go, that is ok. However, do not stop asking because you want them to know that their

presence is wanted, and that they are valued. You might even think that you are the only one who can

help, and you must be around them all the time. Not true. It is not all on you. It is ok for you to suggest

that they speak to a counselor or therapist. To support them, you can go with them once the
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appointment is scheduled. I will also admit that being supportive can bring on a lot of stress. But before

it gets too stressful, seeking help from the individual will do a great deal of good for the both of you.

Someone may disagree with my suggestions on how to assist a person who may be experiencing

mental illness. This is based on a lack of understanding of the illnesses or fear thereof. People have

placed stigmas on mental illnesses also. There are three Stigmas identified in an article from American

Psychiatric Association. “Public stigma involves the negative or discriminatory attitudes that others have

about mental illness. Self-stigma refers to the negative attitudes, including internalized shame, that

people with mental illness have about their own condition. Institutional stigma, is more systemic,

involving policies of government and private organizations that intentionally or unintentionally limit

opportunities for people with mental illness. Examples include lower funding for mental illness research

or fewer mental health services relative to other health care.” It is unfortunate but these stigmas can

make mental illnesses worse, and treatment may not ever be given. In a 2017 study to include over two

hundred mentally ill individuals, it was found that “Stigma limits life opportunities of persons with

mental illness”. (National Library of Medicine, 2017) All it takes is a person to become educated and be

able to understand how serious mental illness is. Take the stigmas off and get involved to assist a person

with mental illness so that they can have a better quality of life.

Stigmas that surround mental illness should not prevent anyone from helping someone who

might be experiencing a mental health crisis. Better health channel says, “Social stigma and

discrimination can make mental health problems worse and stop a person from getting the help they

need.” (BetterHealth Channel, 2015) As a society, we must work together to stop discrimination and

encourage self-worth for those dealing with mental illness. If you hear anyone make negative remarks

about mental illness or make fun of someone experiencing mental illness, speak up. Suicide rates may

decrease. Unexplained or unnecessary deaths in our world may decrease as well. It is our duty to
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become more involved. Please pay attention to changed behaviors, listen with intentions to assist, and

after realizing there is a need for assistance, your support is especially important. If we do this, a person

may be susceptible to seeking care and getting the mental health therapy that they need. After reading

this essay, I hope that everyone accepts the fact that mental illness is real and is not going away.
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References

Mental Health First Aid, The Quiet Power of Empathetic Listening, 2023

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2017/07/quiet-power-listening/

Montare Behavioral Health , What is Therapeutic Listening, 2023

https://montarebehavioralhealth.com/resources/therapeutic-listening/

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Mental Health, 2023

https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/mh/
mentalhealth_activelistening.html#:~:text=Give%20the%20other%20person%20a,%2C%20eye
%20contact%2C%20etc.

One Education, The importance of Listening Skills in Communication, 2023

https://www.oneeducation.org.uk/importance-of-listening-skills-in-communication/#:~:text=A
%20good%20listener%20is%20someone,be%20a%20good%20listener%20too.

Child Mind Institute, How to Support a Friend With Mental Health Challenges, 2023

https://childmind.org/article/support-friend-with-mental-health-challenges/

American Psychiatric Association, Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination against people with Mental
Illness, 2020
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination
National Library of Medicine, Self-Stigma as a barrier to recovery: a longitudinal study, 2018

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28188369/

Substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Supporting a Friend or Family
Member with Mental Health Problems, 2023

https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/how-to-talk/friends-and-family-members#:~:text=Asking
%20questions%2C%20listening%20to%20ideas,family%20member%20with%20everyday%20tasks

Betterhealth Channel, Stigma, discrimination, and mental illness, 2015

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/stigma-discrimination-and-
mental-illness

Rethink Mental Illness, Mood swings, 2023

https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/about-mental-illness/learn-more-about-
symptoms/mood-swings/#:~:text=Whilst%20everyone%20experiences%20mood
%20swings,schizoaffective%20disorder%20and%20personality%20disorders.