James Donaldson on Mental Health - How to Support a Sibling Who’s Struggling

How to talk to your sibling If your brother or sister comes to you with a problem, recognize that it’s probably hard for them to admit something is wrong.

One big thing you can do is listen to them in an open-minded and non-judgmental way.

It can help your sibling to know that their feelings are valid and being taken seriously.

At the same time, you don’t want to enable your sibling to wallow in bad feelings for too long, so it often helps to offer distractions such as going on a bike ride or starting a new TV show together.

Ask how you can support them — for example, maybe your brother or sister wants your help bringing up the issue with your parents.

If you and your sibling are close in age, these tips on how to help a friend with mental health challenges might be useful, too.

When (and how) to bring in your parents If your sibling confides in you about a problem they’re having, you might feel like you’d be breaking their trust by telling someone else.

But if you’re worried about their safety — if they’re using drugs, acting aggressively, or talking about hurting themselves — or if you feel overwhelmed with the situation, it’s time to get a parent (or another adult you trust) involved.

Try to find a neutral time to speak with your parents, when they aren’t busy working or taking care of your siblings and can pay full attention to what you’re saying.

These conversations can be emotional at first, so do your best to stay calm when expressing your feelings.