We Need Each Other to Lean On~

      How are all my readers tonight? Or wherever you are in the world?  Tonight’s topic is Importance of having a good support network” This is very important, to help us deal with our mental health. So in this blog entry we will discuss why we need a support network, what benefits does having one in place bring to the table, and what ways can we have a support network.

      I know there are many people out there, who don’t have a close family relationship, or their family does not live nearby or maybe, they’ve passed away. One thing I can tell you is family is not always defined by blood relation, family are the people who love you no matter what, who are by your side in the good times and the not so good times. So I encourage you to remember that, while you read this and even if your blood family hasn’t been there for you, there are many who have or are dealing with this that will stand by you.

     The first question is why do we need each other? Well we are human, were made to be relational, and if a person is in isolation all the time, it can have terrible effects on their emotional well being. If you’ve been hurt, you might tend to build a wall around your life, so no more pain can reach your heart, but there is a problem with that solution, because you also block out the love that’s trying to reach your heart, those who want to be there for you cannot break down the wall, so the very thing that you think will protect you, hurts you too.

       I understand ive been hurt by a lot of so called friends over the years, but I reassure you there are many good people in this world, so don’t build walls, build a bridge, so those who are trying to reach you can slowly make it into your heart. Having people in our corner, who understand our hurts, our tears, our emotional pain, is so comforting to know we aren’t the only ones, that we aren’t alone.

      When we have a support system in place, we can talk out our feelings; we have a sounding board in place. When were having a tough day or night, and you go online and there is one of your friends ready and willing to listen to your pain, they aren’t afraid to feel your pain with you. When you’re going through a crisis, and you feel overwhelmed, having that support system in place helps you to stay balanced, so you don’t always break apart. The times I had to be hospitalized years ago, I found such a support within the circle of other patients, I felt safe, I felt at home, like they  knew, it was more than book knowledge, it was I understand where your coming from, the feelings I was having, they were having too.

       So now I can tell you, there are many ways we can have a support network, from a supportive spouse, to supportive parents, to best friends, to other fellow patients, to a support group we attend in person, to our church family, to those we connect with and form deep friendships online. I even find support from doing this blog, because I get a lot of feedback and that inspires me to keep writing, it therapeutic for me and I hope it’s helping you too. So you can see its vitally important as part of keeping us stable to have a support network in place, don’t wait until a crisis hits, or your depression starts to get bad, don’t wait until then,  have it set in place and you will be thankful you did!