Mental health is part of overall health.
It affects how people cope with stress, maintain relationships, work, study, make decisions and participate in everyday life.
The World Health Organization describes mental health as a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their communities.
Mental health also exists on a continuum. Someone can be struggling emotionally without having a diagnosed mental disorder, while another person may be living with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or another condition that requires professional care.
Knowing how to respond when someone is struggling can make a real difference.
You do not need to become their therapist.
What matters is knowing how to listen, what not to say, how to encourage appropriate help and when the situation requires urgent professional attention.
What Does It Mean to Support Someone's Mental Health?
Mental-health support can take many forms.
Sometimes it means listening without judgement.
Sometimes it means helping someone identify a healthcare professional.
It may mean checking in regularly, helping with practical tasks or simply reminding someone that they do not have to manage everything alone.
Good support does not mean diagnosing the person, forcing them to talk or trying to solve every problem.
The aim is to create enough safety and trust for them to express what they are experiencing and, when necessary, connect with appropriate care.
Signs Someone May Be Struggling
People experience emotional distress differently, and no single behaviour proves that someone has a mental-health condition.
However, changes that persist or begin to interfere with everyday life may deserve attention.
Possible signs include:
persistent sadness, irritability or emotional withdrawal;
losing interest in activities they normally enjoy;
major changes in sleep;
unexplained changes in appetite;
difficulty concentrating;
declining performance at work or school;
avoiding friends and family;
increased alcohol or substance use;
expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness;
unusual fear, anxiety or agitation;
difficulty completing ordinary daily activities; or
talking about death, self-harm or feeling that life is not worth living.
The important thing is often change from the person's usual behaviour, rather than one isolated symptom.
How to Start a Conversation
Starting the conversation can feel uncomfortable.
You may worry about saying the wrong thing or making the person feel worse.
A simple, respectful approach is usually best.
You could say:
"I've noticed you haven't seemed yourself recently. How are you doing?"
Or:
"You seem to have a lot going on. If you want to talk, I'm here."
Try to choose a private setting where the person does not feel rushed or watched.
Then give them time to respond.
Do not assume they will immediately tell you everything.
Sometimes simply knowing that someone has noticed and cares is the beginning of a longer conversation.
8 Ways to Provide Better Psychological Support
1. Listen Before Trying to Fix the Problem
One of the most useful things you can do is listen.
That sounds simple, but genuine listening requires attention.
Avoid interrupting constantly, turning the conversation back to yourself or preparing your advice before the person has finished speaking.
You can acknowledge what they are saying without pretending to understand every part of their experience.
For example:
"That sounds really difficult."
"You've been carrying a lot."
"Thank you for telling me."
These responses are often more supportive than immediately presenting solutions.
2. Avoid Judgement
Mental-health problems are not simply failures of discipline, faith, character or motivation.
Comments such as:
"Just be strong."
"Other people have bigger problems."
"Stop thinking about it."
"You have everything, so why are you depressed?"
may make someone feel misunderstood or ashamed.
Mental disorders are influenced by complex combinations of biological, psychological, social and environmental factors.
Compassion does not require you to fully understand someone's experience.
It requires you to take their distress seriously.
3. Ask What Kind of Support They Need
Do not assume that everyone wants the same thing.
Someone may want advice.
Another person may simply want to talk.
Someone else may need practical help getting to an appointment, completing an important task or contacting a trusted family member.
A useful question is:
"What would be most helpful for you right now?"
That gives the person some control over the conversation.
4. Encourage Professional Help When Appropriate
Friends and relatives can provide valuable support, but there are limits to what informal support can achieve.
Persistent emotional distress, severe anxiety, depression, significant changes in behaviour, psychotic symptoms, substance dependence or major impairment in everyday functioning may require professional assessment.
Depending on the situation, appropriate support might come from a doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor or another qualified mental-health professional.
Instead of saying:
"You need therapy."
you might say:
"It sounds like you've been dealing with this for quite a while. Have you considered speaking with a healthcare professional about it?"
You can also offer practical help, such as finding an appropriate service or accompanying the person if they are comfortable with that.
5. Continue Checking In
One conversation does not necessarily solve the problem.
People sometimes receive support when they first disclose that they are struggling, but everyone gradually returns to normal life while the person's difficulties remain.
A simple message such as:
"How have you been doing since we talked?"
can communicate that your concern was genuine.
Consistency often matters more than dramatic gestures.
6. Respect Privacy, But Understand Its Limits
If someone shares personal information with you, respect their privacy.
Do not turn their difficulties into gossip.
However, confidentiality has limits when someone's immediate safety may be at risk.
If a person appears to be at serious risk of harming themselves or someone else, obtaining urgent professional help takes priority over keeping the conversation secret.
7. Help With Practical Problems
Mental-health difficulties can make ordinary tasks feel overwhelming.
Practical support can sometimes reduce some of that pressure.
Depending on your relationship, you might help someone:
arrange a healthcare appointment;
organise transport;
prepare a meal;
complete an urgent household task;
contact a trusted relative;
review available support services; or
break a difficult task into smaller steps.
Support does not always have to involve a long emotional conversation.
8. Look After Your Own Wellbeing Too
Supporting someone through serious emotional difficulties can be demanding.
You can care deeply about another person without becoming solely responsible for their wellbeing.
Maintain reasonable boundaries.
Rest.
Continue your own activities.
Seek advice from an appropriate professional if you are unsure how to handle a difficult situation.
Supporting someone effectively is easier when you are not completely overwhelmed yourself.
What Not to Say to Someone Who Is Struggling
Words matter.
Avoid dismissive comments such as:
"It's all in your head."
"Cheer up."
"Everyone gets stressed."
"You're overreacting."
"You just need to pray harder."
"Things could be worse."
"Why can't you just move on?"
These statements can minimise genuine distress.
Instead, acknowledge what the person is experiencing and encourage appropriate support.
Should You Tell Someone to Practise Self-Care?
Self-care can support mental wellbeing, but the term is often used too casually.
Sleep, exercise, social connection, rest, enjoyable activities and reducing harmful alcohol or substance use can all contribute to wellbeing.
However, self-care should not be presented as a replacement for treatment when someone has a significant mental-health condition.
A person with severe depression does not simply need a relaxing weekend.
Someone experiencing psychosis does not just need meditation.
Healthy habits can complement treatment, but they are not substitutes for appropriate clinical care.
Supporting Someone With Depression
Depression is different from occasional sadness.
According to WHO, depressive disorder involves persistent depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure and can significantly affect everyday functioning.
If someone you care about appears depressed:
listen without judgement;
encourage professional assessment;
stay in contact;
offer practical support;
avoid pressuring them to "snap out of it"; and
take any discussion of self-harm or suicide seriously.
Effective treatments for depression are available.
Supporting Someone Experiencing Anxiety
Anxiety can involve excessive worry, fear, tension, physical symptoms or avoidance.
Avoid repeatedly telling the person that there is "nothing to worry about."
Their fear may feel very real even when you do not see the situation the same way.
Instead, listen and encourage them to seek professional assessment when anxiety is persistent or interfering with normal life.
What If Someone Talks About Suicide or Self-Harm?
Statements about suicide should always be taken seriously.
Do not assume someone is simply looking for attention.
If someone tells you that they are thinking about suicide, remain calm and ask directly about their immediate safety.
You can ask:
"Are you thinking about hurting yourself?"
or
"Are you thinking about suicide?"
Asking directly about suicide does not create suicidal thoughts.
If you believe the person is in immediate danger, do not leave them alone if it is safe for you to remain with them.
Help them reach urgent medical or mental-health care and involve an appropriate trusted person where necessary.
Do not promise complete secrecy when someone's life may be at risk.
Mental Health in Nigeria
Mental-health awareness and policy are changing in Nigeria.
WHO reported in 2025 that Nigeria had strengthened its national response through the National Mental Health Act, the 2023 National Mental Health Policy and the development of a National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework.
Nigeria has also been working to integrate mental-health care into primary healthcare and strengthen state-level mental-health coordination.
Despite this progress, stigma, affordability and access to services remain important barriers.
This makes community support valuable, but it also reinforces the need to connect people with qualified care rather than relying only on informal advice.
Mental Health in the Workplace
The workplace can either support or undermine mental wellbeing.
WHO identifies risks such as excessive workloads, discrimination, low job control, job insecurity and unsafe working conditions as factors that can negatively affect mental health.
Employers can help by creating reasonable workloads, addressing bullying and harassment, training managers, supporting workers with mental-health conditions and creating environments where employees can seek help without discrimination.
Mental-health support should therefore not focus only on teaching workers to become more resilient.
Organisations also need to address unhealthy working conditions.
When Should Someone Seek Professional Help?
Consider encouraging professional assessment when emotional or behavioural changes:
persist for several weeks;
are becoming progressively worse;
cause significant distress;
interfere with sleep, work, education or relationships;
lead to increasing alcohol or substance use;
involve hallucinations, severe confusion or unusual beliefs;
cause the person to neglect basic needs; or
involve thoughts of self-harm, suicide or harming another person.
There is no need to wait until someone reaches a crisis before seeking help.
Earlier support may make treatment and recovery easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mental health?
Mental health refers to mental wellbeing and influences how people cope with stress, function, maintain relationships and participate in society.
It is more than simply the absence of a mental disorder.
How can I help someone who refuses mental-health treatment?
You cannot usually force an adult to seek routine treatment.
Continue listening, avoid confrontation, provide accurate information and encourage appropriate professional help.
However, urgent intervention may be necessary when there is immediate danger to the person or others.
Should I give advice to someone who is depressed?
Not immediately.
Start by listening.
Advice can be useful when requested, but people experiencing depression often need empathy, practical support and appropriate professional care rather than a list of motivational solutions.
Can talking to friends replace therapy?
Friends and family can provide valuable emotional support, but they cannot always provide the assessment and treatment offered by trained mental-health professionals.
Both types of support can be important.
Is mental illness a sign of weakness?
No.
Mental-health conditions are health conditions, not evidence that someone lacks character, determination or intelligence.
Can mental-health conditions be treated?
Many mental-health conditions can be effectively treated or managed using psychological therapies, medication, social interventions or combinations of approaches depending on the condition and the individual.
The Bottom Line
Supporting someone's mental health does not require perfect words.
Start by listening.
Take their feelings seriously.
Avoid judgement.
Ask what they need.
Stay in contact.
Encourage professional help when difficulties persist or interfere significantly with daily life.
And when someone's immediate safety is at risk, treat the situation as an emergency rather than trying to manage it alone.
Mental-health support is not about becoming another person's therapist.
It is about helping someone feel heard, respected and connected to the care they may need.
References
World Health Organization. Mental health: strengthening our response. 2025.
World Health Organization. Mental disorders. 2025.
World Health Organization. Depressive disorder (depression). 2025.
World Health Organization. Guidelines on mental health at work. 2022.
World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. Nigeria strengthens mental health response using public health perspective. 2025.
Disclaimer
This article provides general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis, treatment or emergency assessment by a qualified healthcare or mental-health professional. Anyone at immediate risk of harming themselves or another person requires urgent professional assistance.
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