People with mental health issues may take a variety of different medications to control symptoms. They may need assistance with creating and using a medication schedule. They may also want assistance when interacting with medical professionals.
- It is important to keep all medications in a safe location that the person can access.
- Many people with mental health issues have had negative experiences with doctors and hospitals. If they are considering whether to see a doctor and are concerned about it, let them know that you respect their perspective and ask how they would like to proceed. They may decide not to see a doctor, or they may ask you to accompany them to provide support.
- Discuss ahead of time anything you or the nurse/doctor can do to help them feel more comfortable.
- If the person is staying in shelter and has disclosed mental health issues to you, you can discuss whether or not the person would like to share information about their mental health issues with others in shelter. This can be especially useful if the person’s behavior could be alarming to others. Some people may choose not to disclose. Others may want help to disclose in a positive way. No one should be pressured to disclose any disability, or have it disclosed without their permission.