FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2013 123
that the person needs help and that your team is willing to help
support them.
In developing a plan of intervention, enlist if you can, a trained
professional or clergyman to lead the intervention. In emergency
situations, such as you think a person has overdosed, is overly
drunk, their aggression has become out of control, they are unable
to function, call the rescue squad and let them assess the situation.
In my experience, the rescue squad has more experience and
training in mental health situations than the police and is willing to
take the person to the emergency room for assessment.
Taking action is not an easy, pleasant endeavor. You may have
to try more than once. Stick with it. You may save the mental ill
person’s life and the lives of other people too.
*I am always available by email, and will call you back if you
need advice on how to help yourself or another person, of course
at no charge.
e
Sports Psychology
How to Help When You
Notice Mental Illness
By Ann S. Reilly, Ph. D.
As I started to write this month’s column on dressage, the news
fashed on the television about the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook
Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. My frst reaction
was disbelieve and concern for my friends whose children are in
school in that area. I contacted them and fortunately they attended
a different school. My next thought was this month’s column needs
to be on mental health and what can be done when an individual
you are around starts to display signs of mental illness. The sport
world and equestrian sport world is a microcosm of our larger
society. The same problems and issues in society as a whole
occur in the equestrian world.
Over the years I have had several emergency calls from trainers
and horse show management asking what to do when they have
noticed a client is showing signs of mental illness, substance
abuse, addiction and withdrawal at shows. In a few cases I have
rushed off to assist the trainer and work out an intervention plan
for their client in crisis.
First, I applaud the trainers and horse show management
who have cared enough to make the call for help. By doing so,
they have put themselves at risk of losing business by viewing
their client’s need for help as more important than keeping the
client’s business. It is easier and more lucrative to ignore/deny a
client’s mental health issues and keep their business. This point
of view, regardless of whether money is involved, is pervasive in
our society. The average person does not want to get involved
with a person showing signs of mental illness for a plethora of
reasons. Basically, it is just plain easier not to get involved. By
law, the police cannot get involved unless the mentally ill person
has demonstrated behaviors that endanger themselves or others.
If you fnd yourself involved with a person who is exhibiting what
you think is abnormal behavior, instead of ignoring their behavior,
talking about it on the internet, or gossiping about it, take action.
There is strength in numbers when it comes to intervention. Get
together with others who are making the same observations that
you are and develop a plan to take action. Let go of whether you
will be “liked” or “disliked” and
do what is in the best interest
of the person who appears to
need professional help. With
your “team” in place, report
your observations as a team
to signifcant others of the
person in need of help. Often,
denial can play a role in the
signifcant others close to the
person in need. Talk to them
in a loving, frm manner. Give
examples of the behaviors or
thoughts the person in need
has expressed. Or, if they
have stopped talking and seem
depressed and withdrawn, tell
the signifcant others about
those observations. Firmly
convince the signifcant other(s)
Ann S. Reilly, Ph.D. is a sport psychologist and author of
“A Sport Psychology Workbook for Riders,” available from
amazon.com. Questions for Ms. Reilly’s column can be
addressed to areilly627@aol.com.