The year 2020 has felt long and hectic, yet quick and eye-opening for many. There has been an overwhelming amount of information across many different topics these past couple of months. While some may feel stressed or exhausted by the new information, many have found 2020 as the year of opportunity. It has been the opportunity for new voices to speak up, the opportunity for silenced voices to be heard, and the opportunity for all voices to have more conversations than ever before. However, even with the new encouragement for these voices, constantly using your voice can be over-exhausting and can have an incredibly negative impact on your mental health.
September is the National Suicide Prevention Awareness month and with the world at its most vulnerable state, it is important that we stay connected to the ones that we love and care about. There are many ways to show your support towards people and here are two effective ways that can show people you support them:
1.) Reach Out to Those You Love:
Reaching out may be hard for some people, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve talked, but there are multiple ways to reach out to someone and let them know that you care about them. It’s always good to be straightforward and tell people that you’ve been thinking about them and want to know how they’re doing. However, I also understand that people want to have different kinds of conversations. A couple other alternatives are messaging someone a thoughtful compliment. It can change someone’s day and will let them know that you support them. Another option is reaching out to someone to tell them that something reminded you of them. This can be super meaningful and will let them know that you are thinking about them.
2.) Take Action: While it’s good to verbally tell people that you support them, it’s especially important to also show them that you support them. People tend to reject help when asked so taking action to show that you care about them can make them feel loved. Of course, you have to keep in mind of people’s boundaries so instead of taking action without their consent, ask them if they are okay with you helping them. For example, if you know your friend is going through a tough time, ask them if it would be okay for you to drop them off some treats. Doing this instead of simply asking, “How can I help you?” will be more effective in showing them that you care about them. It let’s them know that you’ve already thought about them and are willing to make an effort to help them. Plus, people don’t always know what they want or how they need help, so this makes it easier on them and their mental health.