support

image credit: Ben White via Unsplash

Don't Tell Me You're OK, When You Are Definitely Not OK

If we aren’t going to be honest about how we really are, why are we asking?

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Some people understood me immediately. They too had been suicidal, and they could empathize easily. Image: Thinkstock

What My Suicide Attempt Taught Me About Love

Suicidality is a strange thing. Sometimes you think you’ve shaken it off, but it’s actually still there, quietly brewing under the surface until something triggers it.

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It is my hope that we eradicate these condescending phrases and develop a better system to help survivors. Image: Thinkstock.

4 Things You Should Never Say To A Sexual Assault Survivor

Survivors need support, but often, when they reach out, they are met with responses that only cause further trauma. The impact of these responses is immense.

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It’s like a care package, only you assemble it for yourself and open it up when you’re having a bad day. Image: Annie Spratt/Unsplash.

3 Mental Health Hacks Everyone Should Know About

Everyone, whether they have a mental illness or not, knows what it’s like to be in total despair and have no idea what to do about it. You’re curled up in bed, you don’t want to move, and you desperately wish you knew how to make things better.

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The first and most important thing you can do for your friend is to believe them. Image: Thinkstock.

7 Ways To Be There For A Friend Who's Been Sexually Assaulted

Not every victim speaks out, and few actually report the crime to the authorities. If a friend happens to trust you with this information, it’s your duty as a human being to be there for them in every way possible.

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We are hard-wired for love and companionship. Image: Thinkstock.

The Independence Illusion: How Vulnerability Will Improve Your Relationships

Being vulnerable, being seen (even lumpy and naked), admitting weakness, asking for help — these acts inspire and edify.

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The reality is that no one deserves to do this alone.

Listen: I Don't Care If You're A Burden. If You Need Help, Ask For It.

I used to be the one that pushed everyone away out of fear that I was too demanding or too toxic or “too much.” But I’m finally at a place in my life where I understand just how important it is to lean on your support system — and so I’m committed to not running away anymore.

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It is extremely difficult to watch a loved one going through a tough time; we may notice feelings of vulnerability, weakness, failure, and helplessness.”

7 Ways To Support A Friend Through A Sad Time — Without Trying To Cheer Them Up

“It can feel quite isolating or even invalidating when someone is trying that ‘Cheer up’ approach, or comparisons like, ‘It’s not so bad, look at the people who have it so much worse’,” explains Tal Schlosser, Clinical Psychologist at My Life Psychologists. “We have the feelings we have and someone saying, ‘Don’t worry about it’ doesn’t make it go away. In fact, we can feel even worse about the fact we can’t just snap out of it.” Part of the motivation to cheer people up is tied to how society typically views emotions. According to Dr Janine Clarke, Psychologist at Mend Psychology and The Sydney ACT Centre, there are six ‘basic,’ universal emotions — sadness, anger, disgust, fear, happiness and surprise — and we’ve been conditioned to perceive happiness as the only one worth pursuing.

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