TW: Suicide, Grief, Mental Health 

In Episode 10, we dive into a sincere question I got from a follower when I posted about mental health. Everyone always says “reach out and ask for help” but I’m not sure HOW to ask, what do I say? How do I say it? Here are my suggestions for being PROACTIVE in navigating mental health support. 

I advocate strongly for professional help but we ALSO need to normalize mental health conversations amongst all of us not in a clinical setting. I saw a post “We haven’t destigmatized mental health, we just commercialized it” and it really stuck with me. 

If you have a mind, you have mental health! I share about why talking about this is so close to my heart and what prompted this episode right now. 

Here are some tips HOW to ask for help proactively and ensure you OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE has the support you need. 

1. Initiate support before crisis- “Mental health is more important than ever. I listened to a podcast and I want to tell you I’m a safe space for you, do you mind me coming to you when I’m struggling? There are so many ups and downs right now!” 
2. Communicate YOUR WAY- Is a face to face too awkward? What about the phone? Text? Write out a letter? What about sending a song with meaningful lyrics and say “I’m really relating to this song right now, I can’t find the words but this describes how I am feeling. How about you?” 
3. Know your options- We all need OPTIONS for dynamic support. Nonprofit mental health charities (My favorites are One Wave Is All it Takes www.onewaveisallittakes.com  and Mind www.mind.org.uk ), primary care doctor, online therapy (like Better Help www.betterhelp.com ) or local counselors, hotlines for crisis, family or friends or even mental health bloggers or advocates you connect with who can point you in the right direction. 
4. Warn those closest to you- When you’re not a hard place, warn your support system how you respond to down periods “When I’m stressed, I __________” “If I’m feeling low I tend to…..” When I’m feeling anxious I______. 
5. Ask Important questions- Best questions you can ask “Do you have emotional space for me right now? Do you have space for me right now?” and “Do you want comfort or solutions?” or “Are we venting and listening or problem solving?” 
6. Share first- When/if you’re feeling strong & in a good place- share your own experience. Vulnerability breeds vulnerability.
7. Manage Expectations- Not everyone will get it. One conversation won’t solve it all. You get a response you weren’t expecting. 
8. Asking for help is the strongest thing you can do- Suppressing your emotions isn’t strength 

This is SUCH an important and sensitive topic. We need to KEEP talking about it especially proactively! 

So, if you're in the mood for a cup of tea, a hug and a kick in the butt all at once, you're in the right place! 

If you vibed with this episode, SUBSCRIBE! And share a screenshot on your Instagram stories and tag me @ensusiasm . If you vibed...I bet your friends will too! Together we can figure out how to charge up ourselves as much as our devices...Until next time focus on less scroll and more soul.