#shawleveryday2019 Day 41

When talking about mental health, there are a bunch of things that you should NOT say! Words mean things and using the right ones can help reduce stigma and create a more supportive environment.

Anxiety is the the most common mental illness in the US and phrases like "just don't worry about it" or "calm down" are incredibly unhelpful. Believe me, if we could "just calm down," we would be doing that already! These phrases also imply that the person's illness isn't real and isn't something they are struggling with.

Saying "you have nothing to be depressed about" is incredibly harmful for someone who is experiencing depression. When someone is depressed, it is usually not "about" something and fixing that "something" will not necessarily make that person feel less depressed.

Using these cliché phrases is not only ineffective, but they can make it feel like you don't understand. As a result, you could be unintentionally making someone who is suffering feel even more isolated.

Better things to say would be "this must be very difficult for you" or "I'm here if you want to talk about how you're feeling." Offering to listen is a great way to show that you care and want to help make the world suck a little less.

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