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From my childhood till now, I have come to notice that being connected to others through love helps us better deal with stress, depression and anxiety which are some of the most common mental health disorders. Love, no matter what form it comes in, helps people incorporate safer behaviors into their everyday lives, reduces anxiety (worry, nervousness), and lowers the chance of developing depression or another form of mental illness.
According to the Oxford English dictionary, ”love is a strong feeling of deep affection for someone or something especially a member of your family or a friend”
The highlighted phrase makes us understand how powerful this virtue called love is and how it can transform us.
WHO NEEDS LOVE?
People with mental health problems are not suddenly different people because they are sick. When they’re struggling they aren’t monsters, when they get better they are not new people. However, our feelings and situations can trick us into thinking so. They can even change their personalities for a time; change their interests, their spirit. But they are the same person you have always loved, and they need you to see that person in them, even when they can’t see themselves clearly.
Love has consequences on our health and well being. It plays a huge role in the life of our loved ones who are physically, emotionally and otherwise affected by mental health issues.
HOW DO WE SHOW THEM LOVE
Showing love doesn’t necessarily have to be a grand gesture. It can be as simple as smiling at someone you don’t know. It can be through a message you send, cards and gifts to cheer them up, showing up to help, letting them know you’re praying for them if they are religious. It can also be as simple as giving a hug and letting your loved ones know you are always there for them
It’s not an easy task to understand people living with various mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar or personality disorders. It takes conscious effort to be of support to others. However, aside from the above listed ways, these are other ways we can show love and be there for our loved ones.
SHOW KINDNESS: Reach out to them. Explain why you are there, be polite when talking to them and don’t use threatening language, listen to them in a non judgmental way, provide distractions where necessary, share light hearted stories and jokes. Laughter can be very therapeutic. Ask what they need and let them know you are there even if it’s to just sit silently by their side.
BE OBSERVANT: We need to be more observant of the people around us and make the effort to better understand each other. More often than not we can only notice something is wrong when people deviate from their usual behaviour. As such it is more important to know what the “usual” behaviour is, that way we can better tell when there’s a problem.
UNDERSTAND WHAT’S BEST FOR THEM: for example, sarah is depressed and could not get out of her bed because it is a symptom of her illness, and not because she doesn’t love you any more or because she isn’t trying hard enough to find the joy in the small things, now in case like this what should you do? It is simple, you can go to her bedside and say, “I’m so sorry that you’re having a hard day. I love you.” And then if she requests for further help you can share your thoughts on treatment, because you’ve already established an atmosphere of trust, empathy and acceptance. 
BE MORE EMPATHETIC: We can show our love by doing our best to understand the pain our loved ones are going through. Empathy can sound like, “I don’t know how to help you, but I’m sorry you’re hurting,” and less like, “I know you’re having a hard time but it could be worse, at least you have a roof over your head.” When we empathize with the people in our lives, we should ensure not to apportion blame since that would not help their healing process but rather make them feel more hurt and rejected.
CREATE TIME FOR THEM: There is no timeframe for wholeness; you can’t just conclude that it will take one or two weeks, a month or a year for people to get well so you can have your peace or rest from it, NO. You must make time to be there for people. It could be a resolve to show love through each part of the process and stay, even when you’re pushed away. It is easy and comfortable for someone suffering from a mental health illness to isolate and not talk to anyone.
This is when love becomes a choice, because it can be a confusing and angering time for everyone involved. Choosing to love someone who acts or feels unlovable can be part of what helps them see that they are valued as a whole person, that they are not the sum total of their pain.
ENCOURAGE THEM: Instill in them a positive mindset (spirit) by always encouraging them, let them believe they are great persons and they can make it. 
INVOLVE OTHERS: When a person you love is struggling with a mental illness, you also need the support of your community. Seeing people we love in pain is hard, especially when we can’t relate to their struggle. We may want to fix their problems and be their support system. But the truth is that it is CONTINGENT on our own wellbeing. No one person can fix another, no one person can alone support the weight of their own burdens and someone else’s.
Hopefully we can all be better support systems for our loved ones. Do share with us below how you show love and care to the people in your life.