If someone you know is suffering from hardship, you can help by offering them support, advice, and resources. You may have already reached out and given them a shoulder to cry on, providing them with food to eat, a place to stay, or take them to the doctor or hospital. However, maybe now is the time to do a little more. But what can you do to ensure that the person you love gets through this difficult time? Continue reading below to learn how to help a friend recover from a hardship.
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Why People Fall On Hard Times
Many people fall on hard times, and many of them don’t realize it. For some, the fall is sudden, like a job loss, a car accident, or losing a loved one. For others, the fall may occur gradually due to a bad marriage, financial issues, or a poor diet. Sometimes they feel like everything they do is going wrong, and they feel as if their life is going downhill. But whatever the reason for the fall, it’s essential to deal with the situation appropriately. When a friend of yours may experience tumultuous times, you should look for the warning signs. Oftentimes they might be too proud, or even too embrassed to admit they need help. Some symptoms are similar to those of depression and can include:
Ignoring proper hygiene
This is very similar to depression. You will see right away if they are neglecting their hygiene from the way they look. The most common signs are excessive beard growth for men, unbrushed hair, dirty clothing, etc.
Oversleeping or Undersleeping
A genuine hardship, whatever the reason, can cause people to simply shut down. And oftentimes they turn to sleep. If this is the case, or if they are experiencing stress, they might feel like they can’t get enough sleep.
Losing weight
Weight loss is a warning sign that their situation is beginning to affect their health. You should intervene right away if you see signs of lack of appetite or weight fluctuations out of the ordinary.
A change of demeanor
When a person has something on their minds constantly, they will typically change the way they act. Their mind may be elsewhere, or they could be overcompensating for something.
Drinking during the day
Drinking or taking drugs during the day is a warning sign that things are getting on top of someone. This occurs when people want to forget what is happening in their life.
Failing to meet responsibilities
If your friend is missing regular payments or neglecting their children and families, this could be a sign that something is amiss.
Mood swings/ emotional instability:
People will often lash out when they are stressed. If this happens, it could be quite hurtful for the people around them, but you shouldn’t ignore them.
Isolation
When life gets too hard, most people will opt to stay away from all forms of stimulus, good and bad.
How you can help them get through their struggles
Hopefully you are now in a better position to help them since you understand some of the indicators. Of course, how you help them will depend on what is causing them such grief.
If They Are Injured, Help Them Get Justice
Personal injury results from a harmful event, usually occurring from another person, an animal, or a work-related injury. Even though external events cause these injuries, personal injury is an important topic to discuss to see how it affects them. For example, if they live in a busy, industrial city like Philadelphia, their injury could have been caused by a negligent employer. This can seriously affect a person’s well-being, and if this was the case, helping them hire expert personal injury attorneys in Philadelphia might be of benefit. In addition, these kinds of injuries can be emotional and can make some victims feel helpless. By offering your aid, you can ensure that they can receive the justice they deserve and begin a process of moving on. You can also go with them to court to support them through the process if they become involved in a situation where they have to fight a legal case.
Pay Attention To Their Problems
Listening is one of the most important things you can do to help a friend. It may seem obvious, but just listening to their problems can go a long way in assisting them with their recovery. When someone has the burden of the world on their shoulders, it can seem like there is no end. Listening therapy is an appropriate therapy for a variety of emotional or psychological issues. It is a form of psychotherapy that involves your focused, empathetic, and non-judgmental engagement with your friend to come to a deeper understanding of the issues that are troubling them. Listening therapy is generally used to treat a range of emotional and psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, phobias, trauma, grief, panic attacks, or flashbacks. Seeing that they are not alone will make them feel better.
Remember that an addiction recovery center can be contacted should you notice that they relapse or are not getting better in order to get them professional help.
Provide Them Comfort
When someone close to you is going through a hard time, how do you help them cope? Comforting and being with them is the simplest solution. You can let them know that nothing lasts forever and even hard times will pass. There is a beautiful quote from an unknown Sufi poet: “this too shall pass.” The meaning behind it is that whatever hardship someone is going through will eventually pass, and brighter times will arrive. When somebody is suffering for whatever reason, the outlook can appear bleak. Therefore by giving them a new perspective on life and enabling them to see beyond their current situation, you could boost their spirits. Moreover, by letting them know that they are not alone, you could give them a new lease on life.
Hardships can come in many forms, from financial troubles to medical issues. Whatever the reason, the outcome is often the same. Depression, a feeling of hopelessness and loneliness, and the thought that nothing will ever improve. To help a friend who is going through an adverse situation, you can lend a shoulder to lean on to help them overcome whatever challenges they face.
For more on this topic, check out the full Tough Times collection
