How to have the conversation: Reaching out for help 3.
It can be hard to talk about mental health, whether you’re worried about someone else or if you are struggling. But talking can be incredibly helpful to make sense of and manage difficult experiences. Planning the conversation can help to make it easier. The guidelines below give some pointers. • Start with a text if a face-to-face talk is too intimidating. It could be as simple as ‘I have some important things on my mind and need to make time to talk to you about them.’ • Find and share info. Find out more about what you are concerned about. Inform yourself so that you can approach your concerns with some knowledge. Learning about an issue will also reassure you that there are solutions, so this will make the conversation more positive. See our resources at the end of this toolkit for more information. • Plan beforehand. When you are struggling, it can be hard to articulate how you are feeling so it might help to wait until you are feeling calm to map out what you want to say with bullet points. • Think about timing. There is no perfect time to speak up, but try to find a time when you know you won’t need to rush off or when the other person is distracted. Also try to plan to have the conversation when you feel calm. Imagine that you have an ‘emotional thermometer’ and wait until you aren’t too ‘hot’, or emotional, and not so switched off from your feelings that you are too ‘cold’. When you are in the middle range, you can really think about what you want to say. This is the best time to open up about your thoughts and feelings.
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