2. When to pick up the phone

With illnesses such as diabetes or cancer, it is important to pick up early warning signs and to act when there is any indicator of concern – even if it’s a false alarm, it’s better to act! This is what we should do for challenges to mental health, too. When someone first begins to experience symptoms such as losing sleep, feeling tired for no reason, feeling low, feeling anxious, or hearing voices, we should act.

These early symptoms might not become more serious. Sometimes they might go away on their own. Sometimes they can be addressed with relatively simply actions, such as talking to someone or getting medical help. But sometimes, they are more serious. In these cases, it typically takes ten years from the time they first appear until a correct diagnosis and proper treatment. Ten years is too long! In this time, the person’s suffering could be alleviated and their lives changed for the better. During the early years, most people have support – a home, family, friends, school and work – that allow them to manage their mental health challenges. These supports help people to recover quickly, and live full and productive lives.

This does not mean that a later intervention is not helpful. Even if we don’t intervene right away, and serious mental health challenges get worse and disrupt people’s lives, we can help. We can offer people choices and the support to help them recover.

Knowing what signs to look out for can help you decide when to reach out for help. This list below gives some general signs that the person is struggling. If you identify that several of these signs are present, the person may want to speak to a medical or mental health professional.

What can I look out for... To identify signs that someone may need help?

• Confused thinking • Prolonged depression / sadness or irritability • Feelings of extreme highs and extreme lows • Excessive fears, worries and anxieties • Social withdrawal • Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits • Strong feelings of anger • Strange thoughts / delusions • Seeing or hearing things that aren't there; hallucinations • Inability to cope with daily problems and activities • Suicidal thoughts • Numerous unexplained physical ailments • Substance use that is resulting in damaging behaviours • Repeatedly engaging in risky behaviour

You can also use an online screening from a reputable source to determine whether someone is experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Use the results to have a conversation with family or a friend, or take them with you to see a health care worker.