ALTON – On two recent episodes of “According to Jama and Nikki,” the hosts welcomed Isaac Sandidge to talk about mental health.
“According to Jama and Nikki” is a weekly podcast on RiverBender.com where Jama Fabry and Nikki Fiedler have candid conversations about life and community. They were joined by Sandidge, a Mental Health First Aid trainer and founder of Mental Health First Aid Illinois, to discuss the value of mental health conversations and interventions.
“We are only scratching the surface on this often heavy and immensely important issue that impacts our entire community’s well-being, especially in this current climate,” Fabry said. “We are compelled to use our voices and platform to allow a safe space to share.”
Mental Health First Aid teaches trainees how to recognize warning signs and help people in crisis. The goal is to empower an individual and connect them with the appropriate care they need for longer-term support.
Sandidge noted that CPR training doesn’t teach you how to become a surgeon, but rather “how to support somebody in that moment and get them connected to more appropriate care.” Similarly, Mental Health First Aid doesn’t expect trainees to become therapists. The goal instead is to manage the crisis and connect an individual with resources.
“I hope I give them the skills to be able to be there, be present with that individual, get them connected with some sort of care, whether they need professional help or other people who support them, or just help them through a rough day,” Sandidge said. “What I love about my particular program is that we don’t train people how to be those professionals or those counselors or those therapists, because we can’t all be that. What we do instead is we teach people some basic skills to be able to be there and support them.”
Fabry, Fiedler and Sandidge noted that suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 10–34 in the U.S. While these topics can be difficult to talk about, the three of them agreed it’s important to have candid conversations about mental health. This is how we prevent suicide and help those who are struggling.
Sandidge believes the COVID-19 pandemic “really opened our eyes to things that weren’t working” and triggered bigger conversations about mental health. As our society begins a more “open dialogue,” he hopes this encourages people to get the help they need.
The younger generation’s willingness to talk about mental health also makes him hopeful. By sharing our experiences, he believes we make it possible for others to open up.
This is a big part of Sandidge’s work with the Overnight Warming Locations. He often trains volunteers to help them manage any mental health crises they might face at the OWLs. Fabry, Fiedler and Sandidge had a deeper discussion about how mental health and homelessness can intersect and the ways we can support our unhoused neighbors.
Ultimately, Sandidge hopes the Mental Health First Aid training gives people the knowledge they need to help others through whatever challenges might arise. He wants to empower trainees to support people in our community.
“I think a lot of times, people really want to help, but they’re afraid they’re going to make it worse. So they’re like, ‘I would rather not do anything,’” he explained. “This helps overcome that barrier and that hurdle by giving somebody that confidence to be like, ‘You know what, I know this is going to help.’ They will take that next step and reach out and provide whatever support they can in that moment.”
Conversations about mental health and other tough topics are important to Fiedler and Fabry. Their podcast is wide-ranging, but their goal is to spotlight people and organizations who are doing good work in the Riverbend and beyond. They encourage people to take care of themselves and each other, and remember there are resources out there.
“We are all only one bad day away from potentially experiencing a mental health crisis, so it’s important to have people and resources to support us, because mental wellness affects us all,” Fiedler added. “Remember, you are not alone.”
To watch all episodes of “According to Jama and Nikki,” visit the official webpage.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
