What are the common challenges and risks of volunteer mental health support?

Supporting other people's mental health can often involve deep emotional stories. Absorbing these stories fully may in turn negatively your well-being. Therefore in addition to supporting others please put in place some support for yourself. Find ways to decompress so that you don't become over-burdened from trying to help.

In my experience, volunteers may struggle to establish and maintain appropriate boundaries with the individuals they support. This can lead to the volunteer becoming too emotionally invested or overstepping their role, potentially causing harm. Some common boundary issues are Over-involvement, Dual relationships Dependency. Establishing clear and consistent boundaries from the outset of the relationship is critical to maintaining a safe and effective support environment.

It can be easy for some charities to use ethical dilemmas as a means of bullying. I have always strictly observed the BPS code of ethics for practitioners and this has been used against me before.

I completely agree as I myself have been working in mental health dealing with clients with acute mental illness for over 10 years and I'm also a private counsellor . Self care was never so important to me as when I entered these fields of work but now its the top of my agenda. Not only for myself but I promote self care to all my clients too. It's not a selfish trait at all to put ourselves first in fact it's a priority !

Volunteers in supporting consumers with mental health issues do have challenges. The compliance with medications,how much,what's of the day and when do they need to top-up. What are the incidences that could trigger difficulties and problems. Calmness,positive regard,and training experiences are handy in partnership supporting sisters and brothers who have issues in mental health.

These are well balanced and beneficial ideas to look after yourself. If you can't look after you how can you look after others?

Agreed! Providing mental health support can indeed be emotionally draining and stressful. In my experience, I quickly learned that remaining calm and composed at work starts with nurturing that mindset outside of work. Monitoring one's own mental health and well-being and seeking help when needed is not just good practice—it's a necessity for maintaining a balanced and healthy perspective. After all, as the saying goes, 'One can't pour from an empty cup.' I strongly believe that doing a good job at work—any industry—starts with prioritizing self-care, mental health, emotional well-being, and physical health at home.

Volunteer work can be both rewarding and mentally exhausting. When considering the commitment to others, it’s also important to factor in time for yourself to rejuvenate between volunteering.

Die Zusammenarbeit der im Ehrenamt beteiligten Organisationen und Mitarbeiter*innen und den hauptberuflich ausübenden Stellen ist besonders wichtig für den Erfolg der Arbeit. Ein regelm??iger Austausch auf Augenh?he und gegenseitigen Respekt ist essentiell. Der Klient ist im Mittelpunkt, keine Selbstgef?lligkeit und Standesdenken. Und sind wir mal ehrlich, ohne Ehrenamt w?re vieles nicht zu schaffen