Thread by @bazzapower

[THREAD] Let's talk about whether it is possible to get into our own mental health issues if we help out someone who is struggling with their own mental health. This is something that people often wonder about. The answer is yes but there have to be certain conditions.

One of the main conditions is being the only caretaker. As you can imagine, it would be very overwhelming to have one person take care of the one struggling. It is too hard for the helper to have to deal with all of this on their own. This is why it is important to diversify.

The more people who are there to help out, the more they can rotate and take breaks so that not one person is too impacted at once. Another condition would be existing vulnerability. If someone is already vulnerable either biologically or because of stressors in their life,

being the helper to someone who is currently struggling with their mental health can be the stressor that pushes them towards an episode of depression or anxiety. When we look at most people's environment right now. There is a pandemic, anxiety is already naturally high.

It is easy to think that a new stressor can tip the situation towards further mental health issues. Some people reading this who may be going through their own mental health problems may read this and think that they won't get help from anyone because they want to protect them.

However, that's not the best case scenario either because withdrawing or not getting help would result in further deterioration of their mental health. The best thing to do is to diversify those who help us. Rather than having one person do it, it is important to have at least 3

Furthermore, it is important for both the helper and the one being helped to establish boundaries. Being available 24/7 is not realistic and can be stressful. One boundary can be that the helper is available for a few hours a day when they don't have other stressors such as work.

Also, it is important for the helper and the one being helped to both have a self-care routine. Self-care is the drain that allows our stressors to wash away. Without it, those stressors simply pile up to the point of unbearable. Our minds deserve rest and relaxation as well.

Finally, it is important to only give energy that we already have. If we are feeling drained, it puts us in a very vulnerable position that can be detrimental as well. Please consider these if you are the helper or the one who needs support. We need each other more than ever now.