WHAT A 

D FFERENCE 

A FR END 

MAKES


This brochure is designed to provide you with the tools to 

help support a friend you know is living with a mental illness 

in the recovery process. 

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www.whatadifference.org 

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CONTENTS 

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6 

8 

RESOURCES 

100%. YES, INCLUDING YOU 

Every single one of us is affected by mental illness 

in one way or another. If that number seems high, 

you’ll find more surprising stats 

throughout the brochure. 

MENTAL HEALTH: WHAT IS IT? 

RECOVERY 

SUPPORT 

MYTHS AND FACTS 12 

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 16 

17 
MENTAL HEALTH: WHAT IS IT? 

WHAT IS IT? Mental illness is a health condition that causes changes in a person’s • Among 18-25 year olds, the prevalence of serious mental health conditions is high, 


thinking, mood, and behavior. yet this age group shows the lowest rate of help-seeking behaviors.


Mental illness is very common. Mental health and mental illness can be pictured as two • Those with mental health conditions in this age group have a high potential to minimize


points on a continuum with a range of conditions in between. When these conditions are future disability if social acceptance is broadened and they receive the right support.


more serious, they are referred to as mental illnesses and include depression, schizophrenia,


anxiety and others which may require treatment and support. They are also widely • People with mental illness need to be treated with respect, compassion, and empathy, 


misunderstood. People with mental illnesses are often stigmatized by others who think just as anyone with any other serious but treatable condition.


it’s an uncommon condition. The truth is, mental illness can happen to anybody regardless


of age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, economic status, or location. One of the most important factors in recovery is the understanding


Arm yourself with the facts, then use your knowledge to educate and acceptance of friends. Friends can make a difference by 

2 others and reach out to those around you with mental illness. offering reassurance, companionship, and emotional strength. 3 

Understanding and support are powerful, and they can make a 


real difference in the life of a person who needs them.


www.whatadifference.org 
RECOVERY

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME. One of the most important things to remember 


about mental illness is this: people can and do recover. If you have a friend with mental 


illness, or if you have a mental illness yourself, remember that recovery is possible. Reach 


out to those around you with compassion, empathy, and understanding. 


Here are more things to keep in mind: mental illness can affect anybody regardless of 

race, ethnicity, gender, age, or background. You probably know somebody with mental 

illness. And mental illnesses are not caused by poor decisions or bad habits. They affect a 

person’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, much like heart disease or diabetes. 

The stigma associated with mental illness is a big barrier to 

recovery. If we want to be a truly healthy society, we need to 

break down the stigma and treat mental illness like any other 

healthcare condition. It starts with you. 

People with mental illness can recover or manage their conditions and go on to lead 4 happy, healthy, productive lives. They contribute to society and make the world a better 5 

place. People can often benefit from medication, rehabilitation, psychotherapy, group 

therapy, self help or a combination of these. One of the most important factors in recovery 

is the understanding and acceptance of friends. 

www.whatadifference.org 
SUPPORT

HOW TO HELP 	 RESPOND 

If somebody told you he had diabetes, how would you react? If you’re like most people, 


you’d express sympathy and concern, offer your support and reassurance, and feel 


confident that your friend’s condition would improve with treatment. Now, if that same 


friend told you he had a mental illness, what would you do?


Imagine that you’ve just been diagnosed with a serious but treatable physical condition. 

You’re scared and confused, so you tell a friend. How would you feel if your friend laughed, 

called you names, made rude gestures, and told you to just snap out of it? People with 

mental illness face these reactions every day. 

Too many people respond negatively when confronted with a friend’s mental illness, and 


this only fuels the stigma surrounding the diagnosis. The reality is, mental illness is no 


different from physical illness. Conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety 


disorders affect a person’s health. The emotional and psychological aspects of mental 


illness make supportive friends and family even more important to a person’s recovery.


We all know better than to hurt people—especially when they’re already hurting. Mental 

illness causes physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that make an added stigma 

even harder to bear. So put aside any preconceived notions you might have about mental 

illness and embrace a more helpful way of relating to people. 

6 So, now you know you can help just by being there and offering 


your reassurance, companionship, emotional strength, and 


acceptance. You can make a difference just by understanding 


and helping your friend throughout the course of his or her 


illness and beyond. We’re here to help you learn how.


Instead of blowing off a person’s worries, express your interest 

and concern. Don’t change the subject when a mental illness 7 

diagnosis comes up—ask questions, listen to ideas, and be 

responsive. Ask what you can do to help. If other people make 

insensitive remarks, don’t ignore them—educate people so 

that they understand the facts about mental illness. If someone 	 you work with or go to school with has a mental illness, don’t 	 discriminate. Treat people with mental illness just as you 

would those with any other serious but treatable condition: 

with respect, compassion, and empathy. 

www.whatadifference.org 
n ia e p r t l n sk h a ki h t

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HELP A FRIEND 

If your friend tells you he or she has a mental illness, read the tips below for what you might • If a friend eeds immed te h l fo men a ess, a ill t em wh t nd of e pl

i Grey: C 10%+M 0% +Y 10%+K 25% need and respond immediately. It is important to give them Grey: C 10%+M 0% +Y 10%+K 25% hope and encourage them

to seek support, including calling a crisis line, or the National Suicide Prevention Line at 

say or how you m ght want to respond: 

• Express your concern and sympathy. Orange: C 10%+M 60% +Y 100%+K 0% 1.800.273TALK. Orange: C 10%+M 60% +Y 100%+K 0% 

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• Ask for more details about how he or she is managing. Really listen to the answers and • Encourage your friend to see immediate medical attention if your friend tells you your 

continue the conversation. Make sure your friend understands that you honestly care. Green: C 50%+M 0% +Y 100%+K 20% friend is week or ill from an eating disor Green: C 50%+M 0% +Y 100%+K 20% 

hey 

• Ask what you can do to help. You can leave this open-ended, or you can suggest 


specific tasks that might help your friend in his or her specific situation. Rides to medical 


appointments (or keeping the person company in the waiting room) can ease some of 
 8 the anxiety and reluctance that people feel when faced with a life-changing diagnosis. 9 

• You might also offer to help your friend with errands, but be careful not to patronize or 11/16/2006 11/16/2006

make the person feel disempowered. 

• Reassure your friend that you still care about him or her, and be sure to include him or 


her in your everyday plans—going out to lunch, catching a movie, taking a jog. If your 


friend resists these overtures, reassure and re-invite without being overbearing. 


• Remind your friend that mental illness is treatable. Find out if the friend is getting the 


care the friend needs and wants. If not, offer your help in identifying and getting the 


right kind of care.


www.whatadifference.org 
MYTHS AND FACTS 

10 

Myth: There’s no hope for people with mental illness. 

Fact: There are more treatments, strategies, and community 

support systems than ever before, and more are in the 

works. People with mental illnesses lead active, 

productive lives. 

Myth: I can’t do anything for a person with mental illness. 

Fact: You can do a lot, starting with how you act and speak. 

You can create an environment that builds on people’s 

strengths and promotes understanding. 

For example: 

• Don’t label people with words like “crazy,” “wacko,” or “loony” or define 

them by their diagnosis. Instead of saying someone is “a schizophrenic,” 

say he or she “has schizophrenia.” Don’t say “a schizophrenic person,” 

say “a person with schizophrenia.” This is called “people-first” language, 

and it helps reduce the stigma associated with these labels. 

• Learn the facts about mental health and share them with others, especially 

if you hear something that isn’t true. 

• Treat people with mental illnesses with respect and dignity, just as you 

would anybody else. 

• Respect the rights of people with mental illnesses and don’t discriminate 

against them when it comes to working with them. Like other people with 

disabilities, people with mental health problems are protected under 

federal and state laws. 

www.whatadifference.org 

11 
Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable. Myth: People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job. 

Fact: Actually, the vast majority of people with mental health Fact: All jobs are stressful to some extent. Anybody is more 

conditions are no more violent than anyone else. You productive when there’s a good match between the 

probably know someone with a mental illness and employee’s needs and the working conditions, 

don’t even realize it. whether or not the worker has a mental health disorder. 

Myth: Mental illnesses don’t affect me. Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who have recovered, tend to 

12 

Fact: Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect 

almost every family in America. Mental illnesses do not 

discriminate—they can affect anyone. 

be second-rate workers. 

Fact: Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses 

report good attendance and punctuality as well as 

motivation, good work, and job tenure on par with or 13 

Myth: Mental illness is the same as mental retardation. 

Fact: These are different disorders. Mental retardation is 

characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning 

and difficulties with certain daily living skills. In contrast, 

people with mental illnesses—health conditions that 

greater than other employees. Studies by the National 

Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National 

Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) show that there are 

no differences in productivity when people with mental 

illnesses are compared to other employees. 

cause changes in a person’s thinking, mood, and 

behavior—have varied intellectual functioning, just like 

the general population. 

www.whatadifference.org 
Myth: Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover. 

Fact: Studies show that most people with mental illnesses


get better, and many recover completely. Recovery 


refers to the process in which people are able to live,


work, learn, and participate fully in their communities.


For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a 


fulfilling and productive life. For others, recovery implies


the reduction or complete remission of symptoms.


Science has shown that hope plays an integral role in 


an individual’s recovery. 
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Myth: Therapy and self-help are a waste of time. Why bother when you can just 


take a pill? 


Fact: Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of


people work with therapists, counselors, friends, 


psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social 


workers during the recovery process. They also use 


self-help strategies and community supports. Often 


they combine these with some of the most advanced 


medications available. 


www.whatadifference.org 
YOU DO

WHAT WHAT WOULD WOULD YOU DO? 

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 

WHAT WOULD 

WOULD YOU DO? 

YOU DO

- do not print > 

A1. —take him to a movie or out 

A2. 

and by just being a friend. 

A3. 

A4. 

A5. —to let her knows that 

A6. 

a support for him. 

l i l ill

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A8. i i l l i

A9. 

A10. 

It can be as simple as helping her with studying. 

! 

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 

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You can encourage him to get out of the house

for coffee. 

You can go to her home and be supportive by hanging out with her, talking, 

You can call or visit him and be understanding, empathetic, and encouraging. 

You can be reassuring and avoid belittling or patronizing these concerns. 

You can be persistent by continuing to call and visit her

you are there for her. 

You can be non-judgmental, treat him as you always have and continue to be 

A7. You can educate them that peop e w th menta nesses deserve respect 

and d gnity. 

You can find out nformat on about menta health prob ems by go ng to 

www.whatadifference.org. 

You can encourage him to talk with you about what’s going on. 

You can check in with her to see how she is doing and how you can help. 

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? RESOURCES 

What do you know about mental illness? If you’re like most people, the answer is 

probably, “Not a lot!” But that’s OK—we’ve pulled together some of the best resources 

for you so that you can learn about mental illness and how people can recover from it. 

• SAMHSA Mental Health National Anti Stigma Campaign

http://www.whatadifference.org 

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

http://www.samhsa.gov 

• National Mental Health Information Center (NMHIC)

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov 

• Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center) 17 

http://www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov 

• National Institutes of Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/HealthInformation/index.cfm 

• What To Do When a Friend is Depressed 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/friend.cfm 

To find treatment and support programs, look in your phone book for mental health 

services. Your health care provider, clergy or friends may know of resources in your 

community. Or visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration’s 

National Mental Health Information Center at www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov (click 

on Service Locator) or call the Center at 800.789.2647 (English/Spanish). 

www.whatadifference.org 
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Q1.	 If a friend with a mental illness starts sleeping much of the day... 

Q2.	 If a friend with a mental illness repeatedly does not want to go out... 

Q3.	 If a friend with a mental illness is not attending class or work regularly... 

Q4.	 If a friend with a mental illness is very anxious... 

Q5.	 If a friend with a mental illness cuts off communication with you... 

Q6.	 If a friend confides in you about his mental illness... 

Q7.	 If you hear others talking about people with mental illnesses in negative terms... 

Q8.	 If a friend confides in you about her mental illness... 

Q9.	 If you notice a friend with a mental illness having significant changes in how 

he is acting (e.g., appetite, sleep)... 

Q10.	 If you notice a friend with a mental illness is not performing as she usually 

does at work or in school... 

?

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www.whatadifference.org It’s great to have a friend like you. 

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www.whatadifference.org It’s great to have a friend like you. 

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