Should you go out of your way to treat someone with mental problems diffrent?

Answer 1

No! treat everyone the same...treat them like normal and with respect. It would be patronising to treat them any different.

Answer 2

everyone in there life will have a mental health problem the most common one is depression an everyone will suffer from that at any stage of their life. so just because you know someone at this stage in time with a mental health problem doesn't mean you should treat them any differently treat them as any other person you would speak to. you should be there to give them support maybe that's all there looking for,good luck

Answer 3

What do you mean by "mental problems"? I live with acute clinical depression, which is diagnosed as a mental HEALTH illness. It doesn't make me any different from anyone else - I don't have horns! Having spent time in psychiatric hospitals, I have learned that everyone is an individual - just react to anyone as they are, we're all people. Unless someone is a danger to themselves or others, there's no problem. You do need to define what you mean by "mental problems" though to get any kind of helpful answer.

Answer 4

No. Treat as normally as possible - it's gonna be difficult when u know they have problems and they will probably read into your reactions because they know you're aware of their difficulties.

Best thing - be honest and talk about your anxieties with the person. Hopefully they'll be honest enough to tell you about their problems so you can support each other better.

Remember - you're more likely to be at risk of harm from someone you know who does not have a mental illness as such.

Answer 5

The focus is instead, upon how you treat yourself in response to that other person. I have noticed many people with mental problems have a series of stories or sagas or tapes that, when triggered, will begin playing until they have played themselves through to completion. If you listen closely to someone with mental illness, often you will hear certain themes which will emerge and run their course, over and over. The girlfriend who left me suddenly. My parents who do not love me. The church members who shunned me. People who do not appreciate my special abilities, the claustrophobia at work, &c. You get really good after awhile spotting the triggers for these stories, and you can either step back when one of the stories is triggered, or you can attempt to redirect the story itself. I have found this latter approach futile. Those stories with their triggers are serving a definite purpose to that person, and there may even be a comfort level with having them to draw out and narrate at a moment's notice. They are like friends who support us when we are scared or frightened. Those familiar stories we have heard over and over are like armor or personal protection. You may, with time, find ways to actually help the person, but it will not come without first familiarising yourself with some of these predictable stories, some of which will bore you to tears when you hear them beginning... for the tenth time...

Answer 6

You didn't tell us what kind of mental problem is involved, and you didn't tell us how severe it is. Generally, you don't go out of your way--you treat them like everybody else--meet their eye and say hello. But if your instincts are screaming "danger" get away, the faster the better.

Answer 7

You should be prepared to treat them with a little compassion, maybe cut them a bit of slack, yes.
Just the same as if you had a friend on crutches, you wouldn't expect them to get up stairs as quickly as you.
But nobody wants to be treated like a retard, if that's what you mean.

Answer 8

Depends on what you mean by a mental problem. Not enough info to answer the question.

Answer 9

The golden rule- treat others the way you would want to be treated

Answer 10

no b/c ppl with mental problems r the same as anyone else except they need help with stuff more then we do.