Supporting others

A friend told me that when I feel upset I can try supporting others the way I want to be supported and then maybe I'll get some attention that way and feel better.

I'm going to try that more often. I find I get caught up in myself a lot and don't realize how others also suffer.

What are some ways to support others?

I know I can offer hugs, that's one way...

Maybe I should listen and say back what I hear to make the person feel heard?

Maybe I should talk about my own personal experiences? Or maybe not because I don't want to turn the thread into something about me.

Maybe I should hope they feel better and offer ways that might make them feel better?

What other ways are there to support people?

What if sometimes I don't know what to say?

Maybe I should just write I don't know what to say, but I support you and hope you feel better soon? Would that be a good idea?

Maybe I should post, I read your post and I'm thinking of you, even if I don't have anything to say.

I think that helps me. People don't have to write much. They can just write they are thinking about me and that makes me feel cared about.

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Greenleaves said:
What if sometimes I don't know what to say?

Maybe I should just write I don't know what to say, but I support you and hope you feel better soon? Would that be a good idea?

Maybe I should post, I read your post and I'm thinking of you, even if I don't have anything to say.

I think that helps me. People don't have to write much. They can just write they are thinking about me and that makes me feel cared about.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

(((((((((((((((((Greenleaves)))))))))))))))))))))

I think those are very nice things to do to offer your support of others. There are many times we just don't know what to say or even how to say something. Just acknowledging that we have heard someone's issues and we are thinking of them is more helpful than we realize.

I think it's wonderful that you want to be supportive of others. In doing so you will find that you not only help them, but you help yourself too!

Hugsss
sabby

Greanleaves -

All good ideas! I belong to Alcoholics Anonymous and what helps me more than anything else is sponsoring someone else. That way I am helping them and not sitting in my own sh**.

Also, if I'm feeling really blue I will volunteer for some agency. Over the spring I volunteed as a registration person for the MS walk. Just sitting there for 2 hours and having smiling people walk up to me (or roll, some were in wheelchairs) lifted my spirits for days.

Tranquility

I completely agree with you tranquility about the volunteering part! It does a heart good to do what we can for others. We always receive back more than we give and it fills our hearts.



Hugsss
sabby

i believe that it really helps to get out and volunteer and have experiences IRL.

greenleaves, i've known you a very long time and i know that you do spend a lot of time at home.

can you find something to do away from your home to help others and also help here?

check out different forums and find a few that you can contribute to........i believe that helping here means reading the posts carefully and then trying to feel what the poster is feeling and replying in a way that is appropriate to their problem. it takes practice, but i know you can do it.

check out your local animal shelter!! i bet they could use someone as caring as you also!!! those dogs would love to be walked every day.............pat

<font color="#000088">I think it's very sweet of you to want to be more supportive of others. I try to be supportive as much as I can, for one thing, because I really do care. And the other reason is because it helps me keep my mind off my own problems as much. Plus it feels good to be able to help another person in need, so it really does kindof help you in a way, it makes you feel better inside that you're able to help others! </font>