Mental Health Awareness Week: How you can support someone struggling with their mental health
For Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke to Community Chaplain, Tristian Alexander-Watts from the Suicide Bereavement Service about how we can support those around us struggling with their mental health.
We asked Tristian about practical ways we can check in with someone who may be struggling and how we can notice if the people around us may need some extra support.
Being a supported person in someone’s life
When our loved ones are struggling with their mental health, they can often oversee the support that is available to them. Because of this, it is important to ensure you are seen as open, non-judgemental and supportive to those around you.
“We often suggest to people who are struggling with their own mental health to reach out to someone. It can be a family member, it can be a professional or anyone you feel comfortable with. There is always someone who wants to listen,” said Tristian.
Talking to someone can help reduce stress, process emotions, build resilience and strengthen social connections – all of which will have a direct impact on mental wellbeing. Being approachable is often more about your body language. Things like making eye contact, smiling and using open body posture can make you more approachable.
Sometimes, it isn’t the big conversations that will make a difference. It can be the smaller acts of kindness that help such as being present at appointments or check ups, helping with practical tasks such as calendar planning, and actively listening to what the person has to say without jumping straight into problem solving.
Practicing active listening
Active listening is a skill that involves focusing on, understanding and responding to what people are saying – both verbally and nonverbally. It goes beyond listening to works and requires you to pay attention to a person’s feelings and thoughts while remaining unbiased, accepting and validating.
Tristian said: “During lockdown, there was an initiative that came out called ‘ask twice’. It’s a simple tactic where you ask someone how they are, actively listen to the response and maybe ask a second time – or in a different way – to help people to open up when you’re checking in. Sometimes all it takes is being available to listen and support in someone’s time of need.”
“Beyond what they say to you, you can often see how someone is coping based on how they are looking after themselves. Their self-care might slip and this could be anything from changes in their sleep, nutrition or physical activity to isolating themselves completely. Often, it is more about listening to how someone answers verses what they say – and this can be a really great way to assess if they may need some further support.”
Checking in with colleagues
Research from 2025 found that the average person spends almost 30% of their time at work each week. With this in mind, we are often a big part of our colleagues’ support systems even if we don’t immediately think we are.
Tristian said: “In the workplace, it’s very important to create a culture of care and support. Teams can practically do this by offering a daily check in or making a space for people to have open and honest conversations about how they’re feeling or what they are struggling with on any given day. Sometimes this can be tasks that are difficult, other times it might be personal struggles having an impact on that person. Being an open and accessible workplace, where people truly feel they can bring their whole self to work can make a huge difference to those around us.”
If you are struggling with your mental health, please remember you are not alone and help is available. Please see our support on getting help in a crisis: How to get help in a mental health crisis
The South East London Suicide Bereavement Service – in partnership with South London and Maudsley, South East London Mind and Mind in Bexley – supports people who have lost someone to suicide across the boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. Find out more: Suicide Bereavement Service - South London and Maudsley
