🌿 PART 1: HOW TO TALK TO SOMEONE IN CRISIS

 

(Easy Read + Training Combined)

💭 What is a Mental Health Crisis?

A crisis can mean:

• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feeling out of control
• Struggling to cope
• Thinking about self-harm or giving up

It may be linked to conditions like
Major Depressive Disorder
or severe anxiety and stress.

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⚠️ Signs Someone May Be Struggling

• Changes in behaviour
• Using alcohol or substances more
• Withdrawing from others
• Talking about hopelessness
• Struggling with daily tasks

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🗣️ What to Say (DO)

✔ “I’m really glad you told me”
✔ “You don’t have to go through this alone”
✔ “We can take this one step at a time”
✔ “I can sit with you while you talk”
✔ “What feels hardest right now?”

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❌ What NOT to Say (DON’T)

❌ “Just stop drinking”
❌ “Why are you doing that?”
❌ “Others have it worse”
❌ “You need to sort yourself out”
❌ “That’s not helping” (without support)

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🤝 How to Respond in a Crisis

1. Stay Calm

• Your tone matters
• Be steady and gentle

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2. Listen First

• Let them speak
• Do not interrupt

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3. Validate Feelings

• “That sounds really hard”
• “It makes sense you feel this way”

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4. Don’t Judge Coping Methods

People may use coping strategies like:

• Drinking 🍷
• Smoking 🚬
• Writing ✍️
• Creating art 🎨

👉 These are often ways of surviving, not “bad behaviour”

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5. Encourage Support

• Suggest professional help
• Offer to go with them
• Help them find services

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🌟 Key Message

👉 People don’t always need fixing
👉 They need understanding, safety, and support

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🌿 PART 2: CASE STUDY (BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE – TRAINING USE)

🧠 Scenario: Coping During Crisis

A young person is:

• Struggling with a mental breakdown
• Drinking and smoking heavily
• Attending counselling
• Trying to continue education
• Writing poetry as a coping tool

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💬 What the Counsellor Did Well

✔ Did not judge
✔ Noticed strengths
✔ Praised effort
✔ Encouraged education goals
✔ Recognised coping strategies

👉 This builds trust and hope

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🪶 Strength-Based Approach

Instead of focusing only on problems, the counsellor:

• Focused on poetry ✍️
• Recognised motivation
• Supported identity and strengths

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🌱 Important Learning Point

Even when someone is struggling:

• They can still have goals
• They can still have strengths
• They can still be creating meaning

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💭 Your Insight (Training Reflection)

You showed:

• Awareness of your coping
• Motivation to continue education
• Awareness of consequences
• Self-reflection

👉 This is a protective factor (very important in mental health)

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⚖️ Balance: Positive & Negative

Supporting Someone Means:

✔ Acknowledge struggles
✔ Recognise strengths
✔ Avoid judgement

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💬 Example of Good Practice

“You’re going through a really difficult time,
but I can see you’re still writing and working towards your goals.
That shows strength.”

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🚫 What to Avoid

• Focusing only on negatives
• Ignoring coping behaviours
• Shaming or blaming
• Forcing immediate change

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🌟 Key Message

👉 People in crisis are not just their struggles
👉 They are also their strengths, efforts, and goals

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📊 TRAINING SLIDE (ADD TO YOUR COURSE)

SLIDE: Supporting Someone in Crisis

• Stay calm
• Listen
• Do not judge
• Validate feelings
• Recognise strengths
• Encourage support

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🧩 REFLECTION ACTIVITY (VERY POWERFUL FOR LEARNERS)

Ask learners:

• How might someone use coping strategies to survive?
• Why is judgement harmful?
• How can we balance support and safety?
• What strengths can you recognise in someone struggling?

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🌿 IMPORTANT PROFESSIONAL PRINCIPLE

👉 “Support the person, not just the problem”

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💬 FINAL NOTE (Your Voice – Strength-Based)

What you described shows something very important:

• You were struggling
• You were coping in the best way you could at the time
• You still held onto your goals
• You created poetry (a powerful coping tool)
• You continued with counselling

👉 That is resilience, not failure