1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Psychology of Your Twenties, 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: the podcast where we talk through some of the big 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: life changes and transitions of our twenties and what they 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: mean for our psychology. 5 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 2: Hello everybody, Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to 6 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 2: the podcast. New listeners, old listeners. Wherever you are in 7 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: the world, it is as always so great to have 8 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 2: you here. About a quarter of us are struggling with 9 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 2: our mental health in some way, whether it's a very 10 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: present thing in our day to day life or just 11 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 2: kind of always there sitting silently in the background. That 12 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 2: means that, basically, if you were to select four people 13 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 2: in your office, at your workplace, on your train this morning, 14 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 2: in a classroom, you know, if you were to select 15 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 2: four people from a random friendship group or from a family, 16 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 2: one of them would have a story about the way 17 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: their mental health is a present figure in their life 18 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 2: or something that they've dealt with. It's kind of a 19 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 2: startling number when you think about it, twenty five percent 20 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 2: of people, but it's also very much true. Here's the 21 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 2: thing though, for that one in four each of those 22 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 2: people would have about you know, the averages five to 23 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 2: five to ten close friends, about fifty percent of them 24 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 2: would have a partner. Most of us have some family 25 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 2: that we would be close to. And so though you know, 26 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 2: although it's one quarter of us who may be struggling 27 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,039 Speaker 2: with our mental health, and you know, in what feels 28 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 2: like a very solitary experience, there are millions, if not 29 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: billions more who see someone they love hurting, struggling, persevering, 30 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 2: and they want to help, but sometimes just don't know 31 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: how to because who has ever taught them? When was 32 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 2: that really ever included in a school curriculum, When was 33 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 2: that a priority to teach us as children, or as 34 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 2: teenagers or ever, how to help someone we love when 35 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: they're struggling with their mental health. So, today, my lovely listeners, 36 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: that is exactly what we're talking about. Whether it is 37 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,519 Speaker 2: someone that we're dating, someone that we're in a relationship with, 38 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 2: a friend, a family member, how do we help them 39 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 2: with their own private struggles and battles that we just 40 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 2: don't really know much about, that we don't have a 41 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: guidebook to even when we try our hardest to do 42 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: our best, it can really be quite scary being this situation. 43 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 2: I want to just say that first, like upfront first, 44 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 2: and foremost, because every fiber of you wants to fix 45 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 2: what's going on. You see their distress, you want to 46 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: get rid of it, You want to find some way through, 47 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 2: But we just don't know how, and sometimes it's just 48 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 2: not something that we're capable of. But we still want 49 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 2: to be there for them, and we still want to 50 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 2: love them, and we probably still want the relationship to 51 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 2: to thrive and to survive despite what's going on. So 52 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: today I want to give you seven of my biggest 53 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 2: tips that I've learned from the people who have honestly 54 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: showed up for me, what I needed during times when 55 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: my mental health wasn't great, what I wish people had known, 56 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: but also what they did really really well, and also 57 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 2: things that I've learned from the times when I've been 58 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 2: the support system for someone else who is struggling. I 59 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 2: feel like a lot of this comes down to personal experience, 60 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 2: but also some of the psychologies, some of the more 61 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 2: therapeutical recommendations. We're going to discuss the best ways to 62 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 2: educate yourself, to listen, to keep yourself well, how to communicate, 63 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 2: how to advocate for your loved one. This is just 64 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 2: like such an important topic for me just because of 65 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: the honestly egregious lack of resources that we typically have, 66 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: but also because I think I would have benefited from 67 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 2: this information at times, both in terms of how I 68 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 2: would have wanted to communicate my needs to people, but 69 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: also kind of wanting to know how to help someone 70 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: that I love. So I'm hoping that you can come 71 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 2: back to this, this can kind of be a reference 72 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: point for you when you're wading through some pricky waters 73 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 2: trying to figure out the best way to go about things. 74 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: We're going to keep this intro shorten swee. I realized 75 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 2: that I've been kind of rambling for a while and 76 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 2: just really get into what is useful here. Some practical advice, 77 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 2: some useful reminders, some things that you may not know 78 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 2: or you haven't thought about when it comes to loving, supporting, 79 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 2: caring about someone who is going through it with their 80 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 2: mental health. So, without further ado, let's go. Let's talk 81 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 2: through my five biggest pointers and pieces of advice that 82 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 2: I give people when they ask me how do I 83 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: make life easier for the person I love who is 84 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 2: struggling with their mental health? Where exactly do I start? 85 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 2: What do I do? The biggest thing you can do 86 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 2: and the best place to start is to educate yourself. 87 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 2: I know that sounds super super simple, but it does 88 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 2: involve a bit more than just reading a Wikipedia page 89 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: that lists the definition of anxiety or depression or ORZD 90 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: from the nineteen hundreds and like three to four symptoms. 91 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 2: I want you to actually do some digging. What's the pathology, 92 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 2: what's happening in their mind that creates this reality for them, 93 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 2: what's the biology, what are the reactions the contributors? You know, 94 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 2: I want you to be able to write me like 95 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 2: a report on this. When they're panicking, when they're overstimulated, 96 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 2: when they're coping with a depressive episode, what does that 97 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: actually mean? What is the science, what does the psychology? 98 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 2: Get as much information as you can, firstly, so that 99 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 2: you can act from an informed place. You can take 100 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 2: on the thinking for them in a crisis or in 101 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 2: a tough situation because you kind of know what is 102 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 2: happening on a more neurological or on a more I 103 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: don't know, unconscious level. But secondly, sometimes feeling seen is 104 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: really all that people want. You don't have to have 105 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: the answers, it's just the fact that you tried and 106 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: you went looking for them. That is more than enough. 107 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 2: From personal experience, I will say that it is so 108 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 2: validating when the person you love takes time to understand 109 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 2: all the things that make you you, even the things 110 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 2: that on a personal level are quite vulnerable and hard 111 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: to show people because oftentimes I think the most exhausting 112 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 2: thing to do in the moment when life is like 113 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 2: really really hard, you're in an episode, your symptoms are spiking, 114 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 2: is to have to give a reason for why this 115 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 2: is happening, or to try and find the patience or 116 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 2: the mental energy to explaint step by step, you know 117 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 2: what's occurring in your brain, what does this feel like? 118 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 2: What's actually happening. So coming to the table, even with 119 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 2: just knowledge, is already doing fifty percent of the work 120 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 2: for them. I remember having a panic attack in front 121 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: of a partner once an ex partner, and you know 122 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 2: our relationship didn't end up. You know, it ended pretty poorly, 123 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 2: I will say, but I will always remember this time. 124 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 2: Really it's quite a special memory for me, and having 125 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 2: this panic attack and really not doing well, and he 126 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 2: like pulls out this explanation about what exactly is happening 127 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: to my body, and he carefully and calmly explains it 128 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 2: to me. He explains the reactions in my amig deala, 129 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 2: he explains the Nora pinephron running through my veins and 130 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: what my heart rate is doing. And having all that 131 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 2: information being presented to me quite rationally without having to 132 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: call in it myself was so special. And seeing how 133 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 2: committed he was to really getting it and getting what 134 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 2: I was going through was so soothing. So, like I said, 135 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 2: obviously we're no longer together, and you know, the relationship 136 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: ended pretty poorly, but it is a pretty special memory 137 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 2: and it was definitely one of those times when my 138 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 2: standards for friendship, for future relationships, for really everyone in 139 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 2: my life increased. I will say, as much as scientific 140 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 2: almost textbook information and knowledge is really fantastic, and I 141 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 2: think we can all really benefit from a deeper understanding 142 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 2: of all the things that have flicked our brains. It 143 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 2: is just the first step. Part of educating yourself also 144 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 2: means listening to your partner when things are settled down, 145 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 2: when the time is right, and when they have the 146 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: mental space to teach you about their specific experience. There 147 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 2: are things your partner can tell you about themselves and 148 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: whatever is racing through their mind or impacting their reality 149 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 2: that no one has ever written down before, that no 150 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: one could know, that none of us could see. Because 151 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 2: it is so individual, there really is no guidebook when 152 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 2: it comes to caring and supporting someone you love, because 153 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: mental health is truly different for everyone. Of course, here 154 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: I am speaking about what you can do, but something 155 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 2: that I really want to impress upon you is that 156 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 2: every person who is struggling with a mental illness, a 157 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 2: mental condition, mental affliction, whatever it is, is going to 158 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 2: experience that almost just insanely differently from the next person. 159 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 2: There will be some general things that are the same. Obviously, 160 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 2: there are criteria that you need to meet in order 161 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 2: to be diagnosed. There is a general set of categories 162 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 2: that people fall into. But if you were to take 163 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 2: one person with who had been diagnosed with depression and 164 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 2: compare them to another person, it's still going to be different. 165 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 2: You know, it's still going to have a different This 166 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,679 Speaker 2: person's going to have a different origin story for you know, 167 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:53,839 Speaker 2: the first time they experienced a depressive episode. They're going 168 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 2: to have different sets of particularities or patterns of thoughts, 169 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: or ways of responding or behaviors. I really want us 170 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 2: all to remember that our brains have I think it's 171 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 2: like twenty five quadrillion neural pathways. That is not even 172 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 2: a number that any of us can comprehend. It's more 173 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 2: stars in the milky Way, more people then will ever 174 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 2: be on this earth. That is how many different connections 175 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 2: and pathways are in each of our brains. So the 176 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:23,839 Speaker 2: same way that none of our personalities or our realities 177 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 2: are the same. Even in one person's experience with their 178 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 2: mental health is going to be as unique as they are. 179 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 2: Get to know their story. This is when I want 180 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 2: you to allow your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your loved one 181 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,959 Speaker 2: to be your source of truth. The online resources might 182 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,839 Speaker 2: say that anxiety or BPD looks one way. It might 183 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 2: look irrational or highly explosive or whatever it says. But 184 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,319 Speaker 2: if they're saying to you that doesn't describe my experience, 185 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 2: trust their truth because generalizations and misjudging based on a 186 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 2: limited definition or information is actually one of the main 187 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 2: ways that we unintentionally uphold stigma, even if we don't 188 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 2: mean to. Some general rules here for listening to someone 189 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 2: speak about such hard topics is to firstly be open 190 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 2: to the moment and when your partner decides that it's 191 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,719 Speaker 2: time to share, it's time to listen. And I know 192 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 2: if that sounds like kind of an impossible thing, like, 193 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 2: oh my gosh, what if I'm going on my way 194 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 2: to work, what if like something else is happening, I 195 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 2: get that. But it is so hard to talk about 196 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 2: mental health, even when you feel supported, even when you 197 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 2: think that this person won't judge you, because we have 198 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:41,359 Speaker 2: been conditioned into staying silent about it, from everything to stereotypes, 199 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 2: to the media to personal experiences where we've been shut down. 200 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 2: It is so difficult to kind of get the courage 201 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 2: to be open about something so vulnerable. So if someone 202 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 2: is opening up to you of a text in person, 203 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 2: over the phone, if they are showing you this emotional 204 00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 2: side that you know is rare for them to reveal, 205 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 2: and that not any random person is privy to that 206 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: is a privilege. So please try not to move on 207 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 2: to the next part of the conversation. Don't try and 208 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 2: bury it. Just be a sponge for a second. Just 209 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 2: be a sponge and absorb. Sometimes you just don't know 210 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 2: what to say. And I get that discomfort. It's a 211 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 2: very human discomfort to kind of be in this situation 212 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 2: where you're like, oh, I know that this requires me 213 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 2: to say something. I know I should be responding to 214 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 2: them opening up, but I just I don't want to 215 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 2: say the wrong thing. I get it. So I want 216 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 2: you to remember the golden rule here is just to 217 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 2: validate whatever they say. Your response is one of validation. 218 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 2: Either you say things like you know that must be 219 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 2: so typicult, that makes sense why you're so upset about this? Nope, 220 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 2: you're not overreacting. This is a tough situation. I'm here 221 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 2: for you. Take your time, have a few of those 222 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 2: up your sleeve, like literally, just put it all back 223 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 2: onto them and acknowledging their experience or ask questions that 224 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 2: create that positive emotional space for them to share more 225 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 2: things like I want to hear more about that if 226 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 2: you want to share, and what happened afterwards? How are 227 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 2: you feeling now? That is the golden rule. Well, actually 228 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 2: there's two golden rules, so I guess the golden and 229 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 2: golden and silver rule. The gold rule is to validate 230 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 2: as much as possible. The silver rule, I guess, is 231 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 2: just to listen more than you speak and try not 232 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 2: to insert yourself into what they're experiencing by comparing your 233 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 2: experiences interrupting, or I think worse, but hardest of all, 234 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 2: thinking that what they're going through always comes back to you, 235 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 2: because a lot of the time it doesn't. If someone 236 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:46,199 Speaker 2: is anxious, if someone is upset, frustrated, irritated, Sometimes our 237 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 2: tendency is to see their emotions and feel threatened by them, like, Oh, 238 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 2: are they mad at me? Are they anxious about our relationship? 239 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 2: Is this what it's all about? I get the inclination. 240 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 2: Just pause for a second. If it was about you, 241 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: trust them to say something. People with mental health concerns 242 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 2: can stand up for themselves like they're not weak or 243 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 2: confused or deceitful or anything of the sort. If it 244 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 2: was about you, they would say so. But often you 245 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 2: are part of the solution for them rather than the problem. 246 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 2: That is why they are trusting you with this information, 247 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 2: because they see a future. They want you to know 248 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 2: them deeply and intimately, so just try not to jump 249 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 2: to conclusions about what they're feeling or who or what 250 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 2: it's towards. This brings me to my next point. Don't 251 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 2: always assume that you know what's best, and instead really 252 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 2: learn how they most like to be treated or helped 253 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 2: through a tough moment, because again it's very individual and 254 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 2: it may be different to what you may need. The 255 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 2: first instinct that we have when we see someone we 256 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 2: love in pain, suffering, panicking is to immediately jump into action. 257 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 2: That shows you have a deep bond when their pain 258 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 2: is your pain. It's also reflective of the existence of 259 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 2: these things called mirror neurons between you two, which are 260 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 2: basically connections in your brain that match the connections in 261 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 2: theirs on a neurological level. These mirror neurons were first 262 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 2: observed actually in monkeys who had these really really complex 263 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 2: social bonds that meant that sometimes these primates could feel 264 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 2: each other's pain quite literally. But there was this groundbreaking 265 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 2: research in twenty twenty two, only two years ago, which 266 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 2: is such a short time when it comes to science, 267 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 2: and it found these same neurons first identified in the 268 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 2: monkeys were also present in you and I. The existence 269 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 2: of mirror neurons means that when you see someone you 270 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: love or you're connected to struggling, you will sometimes feel 271 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 2: some of that same tension, stress, even sensory pain that 272 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 2: they do. And this really makes you want to do 273 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 2: something for both of your sakes. Pause for a second, 274 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 2: you might have all the love in the world, there 275 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 2: are just some things you can't fix, especially in the moment, 276 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 2: So you don't need to be the solution for them. 277 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 2: Just provide them with what they need most from you 278 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 2: to help them get to not even a place of 279 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 2: looking for a solution themselves, but just to a place 280 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 2: of so friendly and calm and peace. What do they need? 281 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 2: What would they most want from you right now? And 282 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 2: if you don't know, the easiest way is to ask. 283 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 2: Some people prefer comfort, some people prefer solutions, silence, They 284 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 2: just want to be listened to. Typically, the three things 285 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 2: that people need most are known as the three h's. 286 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 2: Do you want to be helped, held, or heard? Basically, 287 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 2: just get to know your partner's processing language or style. 288 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: The same way that we have a love language, most 289 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 2: of us have an emotional processing language. Often it's a combination, 290 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 2: but at different times you do need different things. Do 291 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 2: you need to be able to physically express what you're feeling? 292 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: To create cregatively express what you're feeling. Do you prefer 293 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:07,719 Speaker 2: intellectualizing problem solving verbally talking it out? Do you just 294 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 2: need silence? That's sometimes something that I need. Get to 295 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 2: know what is your partner's like first way, or your 296 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 2: friend or your loved one, what is the first way 297 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 2: they like to go about a problem or something that 298 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 2: they're going through. Is it just to sit with it 299 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 2: themselves or is it to do something? Let them kind 300 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 2: of guide you in what is best for them, because 301 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 2: they do know themselves best in this situation, and that 302 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:34,479 Speaker 2: means that they are actually going to get the support 303 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 2: that they require from you. You know. I remember the 304 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,640 Speaker 2: story of like my friend going through a really really 305 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 2: rough time and her boyfriend like clean their house, do 306 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 2: the dishes, do the groceries, so lovely from him, right, 307 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: And she was like, I don't know why, but I 308 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 2: was so frustrated about that because in my mind, I 309 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 2: was coming home and I wanted to have control over 310 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 2: this situation, and I wanted to do those chores. That 311 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 2: was going to be a way for me to like 312 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 2: work through the problems in my brain by working through 313 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 2: the things that needed to be done in the house. 314 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 2: Like that control was really what I needed in that moment, 315 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 2: and he kind of took that away from me. You 316 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 2: would never know that, right, You would never know that 317 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 2: he obviously was doing what he thought was best. But 318 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 2: sometimes the most meaningful thing is not what you think 319 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 2: is best. It's what the person actually requires. And I 320 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 2: know that it's just like the most simple principle, but 321 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 2: I think it's an important reminder to just ask. Honestly. 322 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 2: You could also make a list in your notes app 323 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 2: to remind you of what moods, what situations require what 324 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 2: from you, both from conversations with them and also from 325 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 2: noticing things in the moment. For me, I have a 326 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,439 Speaker 2: list for myself when I'm panicking or just overwhelmed with 327 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 2: anxiety or going through like a real you know, down 328 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,959 Speaker 2: period in my life. I have this list of like 329 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 2: it's almost up to twenty things that I know I 330 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 2: can do that I know I would need or could help. 331 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,360 Speaker 2: Progressive muscle relaxation is one of them. Calling my boyfriend 332 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 2: and talking it out, taking a big walk in nature, 333 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,719 Speaker 2: listening to a guide of meditation. And what's really really 334 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 2: valuable to me is that my partner has a similar 335 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 2: one of like, Okay, if this is what's happening, this 336 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 2: is what we need to do. This is like a 337 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:22,719 Speaker 2: plan of attack. It's like an individualized guide book. And 338 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 2: I think we are at this stage in our relationship 339 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 2: where he knows that if I'm having a really, really 340 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 2: rough time, I really don't want to hear a solution 341 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: from him. I really don't need him problem solving for me. 342 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 2: As kind and beautiful and lovely as that is, I 343 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 2: actually need to be present in the crisis and fix 344 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 2: it myself. So him coming in and suggesting things is 345 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 2: just overwhelming and stressful. That is my perspective, That is 346 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 2: what I need. But for other people, they really do 347 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 2: need that rational voice outside of their head to say 348 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 2: something and to help them through whatever it is they're 349 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 2: going through. So just trying not to infantize your partner. 350 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 2: This is something I see a lot, and I get 351 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 2: people complaining about it to me a lot, Like why 352 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,160 Speaker 2: does my boyfriend treat me like I'm stupid just because 353 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 2: I'm anxious? Why is everyone always asking me if I'm okay, 354 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 2: like I'm a little child. Why does my boss always 355 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 2: speak to me in hush tones? Why do people just 356 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 2: take over parts of my life thinking that I don't 357 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 2: know how to do it. Infantalization really occurs when people 358 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 2: with mental health concerns feel like because their brain works differently, 359 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,920 Speaker 2: they suddenly are seen as less capable or knowledgeable about 360 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 2: their own condition and their own life. People become overprotective, 361 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 2: They misjudge what they're able to do, and they think 362 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 2: they know better, which also contributes to that unsolicited advice 363 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 2: giving we spoke about earlier, or trying to problem solve 364 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 2: their lives to them when actually they can do it 365 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 2: themselves if you give them the support and the safety 366 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 2: net and the structures around that. Basically, just don't treat 367 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 2: your partner or your loved one child and you should 368 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 2: be all good. You should continue to have a respectful 369 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 2: two way relationship. Okay, we are going to take a 370 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 2: short break, but when we return, we'll discuss the three 371 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 2: final pieces of advice I have for you. When you're 372 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,239 Speaker 2: supporting someone who is struggling, don't go anywhere, stay with us. 373 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 2: We'll be back after this short break. There is something 374 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 2: so beautiful about someone who respects your lived reality enough 375 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 2: to defend it even when you're not around. There is 376 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 2: something really, really beautiful about someone who doesn't ignore your 377 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 2: experiences and what you're going through even though it's not 378 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 2: directly impacting them. If you want to be a supportive 379 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 2: partner a supportive loved one, think about how you speak 380 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 2: about mental health when they're not around changing stigma, changing prejudice. 381 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,439 Speaker 2: Advocating for mental health to be seen and to be 382 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 2: respected can't just be in the hands of the people 383 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 2: who are struggling. It's also up to the people who 384 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 2: love them to really spark meaningful, positive change, to challenge 385 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 2: their own beliefs and the beliefs of those around them, 386 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 2: just to make the world a little bit safer. If 387 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,399 Speaker 2: you hear someone say something that that's just plain wrong, 388 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,719 Speaker 2: say so. If you witness a policy in your workplace 389 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 2: that you know would make it harder for someone like 390 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 2: the person you love to show up in their job 391 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 2: or career, say something you know. If a relative is 392 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:42,639 Speaker 2: deliberately being bigoted or judgmental, say something that is in 393 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 2: part your responsibility. I think make the world a little 394 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 2: bit softer and gentler for your loved one to enter. 395 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 2: I think in those moments when you stand up, you 396 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 2: speak out, you challenge what people might incorrectly believe or assume. 397 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,239 Speaker 2: You're not just defending your loved one, you're also kind 398 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:02,119 Speaker 2: of paving away for a future where they don't have 399 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 2: to fight those battles themselves, and that you know, where 400 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 2: they can be open and vulnerable about what they're going through. 401 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 2: You're basically just helping create a society where there is, 402 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 2: you know, where mental health is treated with the same 403 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 2: importance and dignity as physical health. And I think your 404 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 2: actions are a really powerful message not just to the world, 405 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 2: but to the people around you, to your close circle 406 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 2: who probably also interact with your loved one, that mental 407 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 2: health matters. It's not something to be swept under the rug. 408 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 2: It's not something to kind of cringe away from and 409 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:39,119 Speaker 2: be like, Ooh, that's uncomfortable, that's strange. I don't want to, 410 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 2: you know, a se contagious, I don't want anything to 411 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 2: do about it. You're being very clear, like, no, this 412 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 2: is worth defending. I'm going to speak about this. I 413 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 2: care about this, and it deserves your respect. In doing so. 414 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 2: I think you just really contribute to a culture of 415 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 2: empathy and a culture of understanding, and it's one of 416 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 2: those most beautiful acts of love and true organic support. 417 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 2: I just think it's one of the most gorgeous things 418 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:07,160 Speaker 2: that you can do, is to say, you know, I'm 419 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 2: not just going to support you in private, I'm going 420 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 2: to advocate for you in public. Whatever that means. It 421 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,879 Speaker 2: also has the secondary consequence impact I guess of making 422 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 2: it feel like you're doing something when sometimes there's nothing 423 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 2: that you can really do for them in the sense 424 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 2: that you can't cure their mental health. You can't always 425 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 2: fix this problem, but you can make the world and 426 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 2: the systems that are in place around mental health more accessible, 427 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:42,239 Speaker 2: less discriminatory, less stigmatized. So I do think that you 428 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 2: get purpose from it. Even better, you get a sense 429 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 2: of agency, productivity, progress. You feel like you are doing 430 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 2: something for this person you love, when sometimes you can 431 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 2: feel quite powerless in the face of a very private 432 00:24:56,320 --> 00:25:00,199 Speaker 2: battle with mental health. So that's tip number three. For 433 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,439 Speaker 2: this next tip, we are actually going to take a 434 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 2: step back from your partner, the person you love for 435 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 2: just a second and focus on you. I want to 436 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 2: validate you for just a moment. Seeing someone struggle elicits 437 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 2: a lot of weird, confusing feelings in us, Guilt that 438 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 2: we can't fix the pain, sometimes an assumption of responsibility 439 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 2: for their mental health, exhaustion, stress for them, for their wellbeing, 440 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:30,679 Speaker 2: for their safety, and it can take its toll. I 441 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 2: know that you would do it no matter what. I 442 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 2: know that you probably don't feel like a hero for 443 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 2: just loving someone the way that they should be loved. 444 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 2: There's really no special award for that, but there have 445 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 2: been some really important studies showing that when we tend 446 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 2: to take on a lot of what our partner feeling 447 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 2: and managing, that can really bleed into our own emotional 448 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 2: state and it can impact our mood, our ability to cope, 449 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 2: our sense of optimism for the future, and it can 450 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 2: be really hopeless at times. And the complicated thing with 451 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 2: mental health is that the person experiencing it feels it alone. 452 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 2: It is an isolated experience. You cannot take the pain 453 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 2: from your brain and put it on the table and 454 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,199 Speaker 2: let people touch it and feel it and understand what 455 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,399 Speaker 2: it feels like for you. But you also do have 456 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,360 Speaker 2: to watch them struggle, and you probably have your own 457 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:28,399 Speaker 2: anxiety and worries about them that you end up managing alone. 458 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 2: You may even be dealing with your own mental health. 459 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 2: So as much as you want to be there everything, 460 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 2: you want to find the magic cure, as much as 461 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 2: you want to help, sometimes you just can't and you 462 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 2: need to fill your own cup. It's like they always 463 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 2: say this on planes, put on your own mask before 464 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 2: helping others. Sometimes we can get so concerned and wound 465 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 2: up in someone else's internal conflicts and pain that we 466 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 2: drop off of our own self care practices and we 467 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 2: stop pouring energy in our own lives. So that's really 468 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:04,720 Speaker 2: tip number four. Time and space for yourself is a 469 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 2: non negotiable, and I want you and your partner to 470 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:10,199 Speaker 2: be on the same page about that, whether it's you know, 471 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,479 Speaker 2: an afternoon a day just for you, whether you have 472 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 2: boundaries around when you can kind of take on the 473 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 2: mental load. Basically, I think any point where you feel 474 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: extreme tension, you feel things tearing, you feel yourself getting 475 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 2: really really stressed, or you feel like your relationship isn't working, 476 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 2: that is where a boundary is required. Discomfort is the 477 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:36,120 Speaker 2: biggest indicator that a boundary is needed in that space. 478 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,440 Speaker 2: Sometimes that feels really really hard when you just love 479 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 2: them so much and you don't want to let them down, 480 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 2: you don't want to say no, you don't want to 481 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:48,959 Speaker 2: make them feel silenced. But it does actually mean that 482 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 2: taking space for yourself now means you can continue to 483 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 2: show up for them into the future. It's also really worthwhile. 484 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 2: I think having a confident yourself, whether that's a therapist, 485 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 2: a sibling, an anonymous support group, a really trusted friend. 486 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 2: And the thing is is that you don't have to 487 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:09,479 Speaker 2: go into like extreme detail of like, yeah, my girlfriend Jenny, 488 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 2: like this is exactly what happened at two pm LAS 489 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 2: yesterday afternoon, and this is the medication she's taking, and 490 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: this is her entire history, her mental health history. You 491 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:22,199 Speaker 2: don't have to do that. You can focus on how 492 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 2: the situation is making you feel, and you can get 493 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 2: the support that you require. A reminder, I think that 494 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 2: it's not selfish to know your limits. It's not selfish 495 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 2: to know how much you're able to take on what 496 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 2: you can and can't carry. In fact, I think it's 497 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 2: incredibly self aware and loving to know what works for 498 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 2: you and to want to be able to care and 499 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 2: love your friend, your sibling, your partner, your mom, whoever 500 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 2: it is, for as long as possible without that taking 501 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 2: a toll on you and your relationship, or minimizing the 502 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 2: toll that it can take on your relationship. This may 503 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 2: also be hard to hear it, and I know some 504 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 2: people might not like me for saying this, but it's 505 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 2: also okay to leave the relationship when you are noticing 506 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 2: an effect on your own mental health when their mental 507 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 2: health is creating behaviors that aren't okay, that are unhealthy 508 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 2: for you or for them, even if you know it 509 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 2: isn't something that they can control, because I think feeling 510 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,960 Speaker 2: obligated to stay just because of their mental health or 511 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 2: feeling guilty for leaving is the only motivation for staying. Firstly, 512 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 2: it creates a really unbalanced dynamic in your relationship of like, well, 513 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: I'm only staying with you because of your mental health. 514 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 2: It's kind of like, well, you have no incentive to 515 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 2: improve because then I'll leave you if you get what 516 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: I'm saying. So it's unbalanced first of all, but also 517 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 2: it's just not a great foundation for a relationship to 518 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 2: survive or for either of you to get better or 519 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 2: even you know, be the better versions of yourself to 520 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 2: be happy if the relationship is creating a really terrible 521 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 2: cycle for both of you, So it is okay to leave, 522 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 2: make the decision that is right for you, and then 523 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,000 Speaker 2: you can start thinking, you know, what supports do they 524 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 2: have in place? How do I deliver this kindly? When 525 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 2: would be the best time to talk about this? Who 526 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 2: should maybe know beforehand? If that's also a consideration. I 527 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 2: know it's a really hard decision. But you're not a 528 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 2: bad person for prioritizing your health and your well being 529 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 2: first and foremost, because otherwise you have two people who 530 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 2: are just not doing very well, and that's more than 531 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 2: I think a relationship can sometimes take on. I want 532 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:49,880 Speaker 2: to give you all some final rapid fire tips that 533 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 2: I hope stick in your brain for when you most 534 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 2: need them. It's someone supporting someone you love with their 535 00:30:55,600 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 2: mental health. First up, never give ultimatums. As much as 536 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 2: this may be harder for you, trust me, they know 537 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 2: they know what you're feeling, probably ten times what you're 538 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 2: going through, and if they could make it all go away, 539 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 2: if that was an option, they would have done it 540 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 2: a long time ago and in a heartbeat. And you know, 541 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 2: that's not to say that mental illness is like a 542 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 2: disease for which we should only be looking for a cure. 543 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 2: But what I'm saying is that this is something that 544 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 2: people can't necessarily change. It's wide into their brain, and 545 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 2: so asking them to fix it, asking them to get 546 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 2: better within a short period of time, to get it 547 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 2: all together, to find some way through. You know, it's 548 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 2: basically the equivalent of saying, actually, just hide this for me. 549 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 2: To make my life easier so I don't have to 550 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 2: deal with it, rather than let's find a way of 551 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 2: coping and healing together. Let's let this experience make us stronger. 552 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:50,240 Speaker 2: Know you that you can lean on me, And ultimatum 553 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 2: basically just says, you know, cure yourself, fix yourself. But 554 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 2: actually that's not an option. So lie to me about 555 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 2: it and can seal things from me which is not 556 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 2: necessarily or even a tiny bit healthy. Secondly, know when 557 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 2: it's too much for the both of you and outside 558 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 2: help is needed. This probably, now that I'm thinking about it, 559 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 2: should have been tip number one. But even therapists, even psychiatrists, 560 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 2: even the most skilled, educated, wise people in the world, 561 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 2: do not act as the physicians or the psychologists for 562 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 2: their family members, or their friends or their partners, because 563 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 2: they know that the help that is needed goes beyond them. 564 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 2: You need a neutral, trained third party to be a confidant, 565 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 2: to offer support, assistance. You need something and someone beyond you. 566 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 2: You just can't be everything, but you can be the 567 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 2: one who encourages them to get the help they need. 568 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 2: Because there is trust in your relationship, they're going to 569 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 2: feel safe enough to take the next step they're going 570 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 2: to feel safe in the fact that you're the one 571 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 2: encouraging them and you wouldn't do anything that's going to 572 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 2: hurt them. Therapy is really, really hard if you've never 573 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 2: been before, and even when you have been before, like 574 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 2: it's a trick if you experience it's hard being so 575 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 2: open with someone at the beginning, especially since you know, 576 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 2: I think a therapy client therapist client relationship requires a 577 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 2: lot of trust, and trust is mainly a product of time, 578 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 2: So at the very beginning, it can feel awkward to 579 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,720 Speaker 2: talk to a stranger basically about things that you may 580 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,920 Speaker 2: have only ever told a partner or loved ones. But 581 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 2: there is a good reason why everyone recommends therapy and 582 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 2: why you should go, because, to be honest, it works. 583 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 2: If it's something that is accessible to you, really really 584 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 2: would recommend it. Finally, make time to still have a relationship, 585 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 2: even if that means adjustments. Your love has kind of 586 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 2: got to exist through this, and love does take effort. 587 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,680 Speaker 2: The hardest thing, one of the hardest things that I've 588 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 2: recognized for people who have relationships in which one of 589 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 2: them is dealing with their mental health is to find 590 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 2: a way to still actively date each other even if 591 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,520 Speaker 2: that looks differently. Mental health is always going to be 592 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 2: part of your dynamic. It might come and go and 593 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 2: sometimes be a lot quieter than at other times, but 594 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:13,799 Speaker 2: it's still going to be present the same way that 595 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 2: a physical injury, a physical illness, a physical condition would be. 596 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:19,839 Speaker 2: And I don't want that to be a scary thing 597 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:22,840 Speaker 2: for you. I want you to remember why you're together, 598 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 2: even in dark times. I want you to still love 599 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 2: and celebrate this person and be celebrated yourself. I still 600 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 2: want you to make memories that bond you and actively 601 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 2: date each other so that this connection between you two 602 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:41,160 Speaker 2: only becomes stronger throughout everything that you're going through. You know, 603 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:43,440 Speaker 2: full on date nights might not always be on the cards. 604 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 2: Then maybe times when we're at capacity, we need space, 605 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:48,759 Speaker 2: we need a night in. You don't want to socialize, 606 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 2: but find a night, a morning, a weekend every now 607 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:54,440 Speaker 2: and again. When you focus on what's in the future, 608 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 2: you focus on YouTube, you focus on what's good, and 609 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 2: you nurture the connection that you know the reason you're 610 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:05,200 Speaker 2: listening to this episode because you love them and because 611 00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 2: you care about them, and because you want them to 612 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,759 Speaker 2: get better, to feel better, to get back on their feet, 613 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 2: and I guess you also just want your love to last. 614 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 2: You want to do what's best by them, and I 615 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 2: think that that is a really beautiful commitment and a 616 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 2: sign of commitment to your relationship. I will also say, 617 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 2: I know I just said that's my final thing, but 618 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,399 Speaker 2: one more thing. You're not always going to get everything right, 619 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 2: and I just want to give you the permission that 620 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 2: you need right now for that to be the case. 621 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 2: Even you know me, someone who talks about mental health 622 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 2: twice a week, daily, every probably like every single day, 623 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:43,920 Speaker 2: I talk about mental health. I have mental health problems 624 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,280 Speaker 2: of my own. I have family members with mental health problems. 625 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 2: There are still times when I'm just like, I really 626 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 2: don't know what to say in this situation, and I'm 627 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:53,479 Speaker 2: probably going to say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing. 628 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,239 Speaker 2: But it's okay if you're doing it earnestly and from 629 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 2: a place of genuine curiosity and care, not everyone. I 630 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 2: think the thing to say about this is that mental 631 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 2: health is really really complicated that even the people who 632 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,359 Speaker 2: are experiencing it don't always know what's going on. So 633 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:11,439 Speaker 2: the fact that you don't know what's going on either 634 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 2: means that you're probably in the same boat. So just 635 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:17,680 Speaker 2: give yourself some grace and some forgiveness to just try 636 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:21,879 Speaker 2: and when in doubt, like we said, golden rule, validate, listen, love, 637 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:25,759 Speaker 2: and you'll be doing just fine. So thank you so 638 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:28,399 Speaker 2: much for listening to this episode. If you've got this far, 639 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 2: I hope that you learned something. I hope that you 640 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 2: feel more equipped to show up in this situation to 641 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 2: provide kindness and love and care to this person that 642 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 2: you love. And yeah, if there's someone else that you 643 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 2: think needs to hear this episode, please feel free to 644 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 2: share with them. Make sure that if you did enjoy this, 645 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 2: leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify 646 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 2: wherever you're listening right now, and if you have something 647 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 2: you want to share, if you have more pointers, more tips, 648 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 2: anything that's on your mind, make sure you are following 649 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:03,279 Speaker 2: us at That's Psychology Podcast on Instagram and you can 650 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 2: share your thoughts, feelings, requests for a follow up episode, 651 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 2: requests for another topic over there. Again, thank you for listening, 652 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:15,080 Speaker 2: and until next time, stay safe, stay kind, and be 653 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 2: gentle with yourself. We will talk very very soon.