It can be difficult and fearsome to ask for emotional support. Being vulnerable may seem challenging, but your family and friends are your true support system. People may be aware of their needs. But they still don’t know how to ask for emotional support. If you are one of those, this write-up covers the best tips to ask for help.
Let us first understand why people often struggle to ask for emotional support, even from their loved ones.
What Does Emotional Support Look Like?
Emotional support can vary based on the situation, the people you meet, and social norms. However, certain elements define effective emotional support. These can be:
Respectful
This is all about treating the individual who needs support with dignity and consideration.
Unconditional
Unconditional means that other people don’t have to do anything special to support the person in need.
Person-Centered
Person-centered means that everything is focused on the needs of the person looking for emotional support.
Non-Judgmental
As the name suggests, non-judgmental implies that other people won’t judge the person’s thoughts or emotions.
Why is it Hard to Ask for Support?
Getting support might be difficult, and many will find it extremely challenging. There can be many reasons for this. Some may feel that they would seem like an inconvenience to their loved ones or put an extra burden on them.
Other people may hesitate to ask because they fear being judged. Some may even be frightened to ask for help because they fear rejection. Since all these reasons are possible, people often feel it is better not to ask for help. Hence, they lack support overall.
Is it Beneficial to Ask for Help and Support?
Asking for help may not always be a success for the first-timers. Still, you can gain a lot. If you ask for support and help, you can:
Feel a Strong Connection
You may feel emotionally unstable or lonely, so you need nothing less than a support system. When you seek help or express your feelings, you share your stress and burden. This lets you make a good connection with those who are going through the same feelings. It will also disperse the fear that may have built up about accepting that there is a problem.
Get an External Perspective
Sometimes, just talking it out with a loved one is enough to help us see a situation differently. Other times, it can help us realize when we need more assistance in talk therapy, peer support, group therapy, or medication.
Stop Yourself from Feeling Stuck
If you wait too long, you might feel more stressed, worried, and overwhelmed. Speaking up can help us reclaim our ability to advance and see positive improvements in the areas that most require them.
Also Read: How to Offer Emotional Support for Men as a Partner
Ways to Ask for Emotional Support
Life can be tough when you are experiencing a hard time. You may feel a lack of support from everywhere. So, what should you do in such situations? Here are some of the best tips on how to ask for emotional support:
Be Clear in your Mind
When you seek emotional support from your friends or family, be assertive with what you say. First, ask yourself what you need. Do you want to sit beside someone and tell them how you feel? Do you want help with any particular work or activity? You may be clear from the inside, but it is not easy to express your feelings to others.
Know Who is The Right Person you Must go to
Do you have anyone in your friends or family with whom you are comfortable sharing things? Is there any colleague at your workplace who will listen to you without judging? Would you like to join a support group where you can share your feelings with people facing the same issue? Do you want to have a face-to-face conversation with a counselor? Whatever it is, you must consider the right person to help you in the most difficult times.
Try to Be a Bit Specific
You must know what sort of support you are seeking. Be specific if you want someone to listen to you, give you practical advice, or hug you. It can help the others who you are reaching out to understand what they can do for you.
Express with Non-Verbal Cues
It is possible that you might find it hard to get accurate words to tell what you are experiencing. So, it would be wise to use non-verbal cues. The non-verbal cues can be body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact, or physical closeness.
Think of All Types of Support
It may be difficult to take materialistic help like financial assistance. But, if somebody offers this willingly and it can bring some change, there is no shame in accepting. Contact a dedicated helpline service if you crave support from your loved ones but can’t get it.
Emotional Support: The Expectations and Goals
Both the person asking for support and the person offering it must have realistic expectations. Emotional support is enough to build connections and ideas to help solve certain issues, but it does not guarantee success. Moreover, the person giving support is not responsible for offering solutions.
The ultimate goal of offering support is to make the person feel valued and cared for. The tough situations may persist, but support from another person can be invaluable. It can be great if the person expresses that the support was workable and felt calm.
Conclusion
When you know how to ask for emotional support, it can effectively make a great difference. Whether it is friends or family, you will receive the support you deserve. Do you want appropriate guidance and assistance to address your emotional issues? Support from an expert grief counselor can also be an excellent alternative. You may have an extensive network of friends, but an expert’s guidance would be more helpful.
Alnicor Consulting is a creditable consulting firm with experts to support you in your grief. No more feeling panicked or stressed. Get the best support and advice from the right place. Our sessions are confidential, so you can rely on our experts without worries.