Friends, Coworkers,
& Mental Health

Maybe it was something they said, something they posted, or a concerning change in behavior. If someone you know shows signs of mental health challenges, it’s time to support a friend and link them to support.

46% of Americans will experience mental health challenges sometime in their life.<sup style=font-size:15px>25</sup>

46% of Americans will experience mental health challenges sometime in their life.25

24% of adults who experience mental health challenges do not get treatment.<sup style=font-size:15px>26</sup>

24% of adults who experience mental health challenges do not get treatment.26

Learn More About Mental Health

Spotting Common Warning Signs

Sadness or withdrawal for more than 2 weeks

Seriously harming themselves or making plans to do so

Serious risk-taking behavior

Overwhelming fear

Significant weight loss or gain; binging, purging, or not eating food

Hearing, seeing, or believing things that are not there

Misusing drugs or alcohol

Changes in mood or behavior

Difficulty focusing

Worrying to the point of interfering with regular activities

Words That Help

Use direct language like “It worries me when you talk like this”
Offer support like, “What can I do to help you now?”
Link them to the Access and Crisis Line at 888-724-7240
Provide hope and encouragement,“It will get better”

Resources That Help

It can be challenging to start the conversation about mental health with friends and coworkers. There are resources that can help you break the ice and link them to care.

Use Our Resource Tool
The Access and Crisis Line at (888) 724-7240 provides support 24/7. Experienced counselors can answer questions about mental health and substance use, provide referrals, offer support and crisis intervention. In the case of a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Suicide Prevention, Substances,
& Substance Use Disorders
There are many factors that can affect mental health. Get in-depth information and tips when it comes to suicide prevention, substances, and substance use disorders.
12 Kessler, Ronald C, et al, Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):593-602. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593.
26 Mental Health By the Numbers, NAMI, https://www.nami.org/mhstats, Retrieved July 2021