When someone you love is going through a challenging time, it is normal to feel helpless. However, Patrick Lawrence Floyd wants to assure you that you are anything but. As the Founder of Endless Recovery, a foundation providing affordable addiction treatment to those unable to access proper care, Patrick has always had an aptitude for helping individuals in need. Dedicating countless hours to cultivating positive change in his community, Patrick Floyd has years of experience supporting others and is here to share his best tips on how to be supportive when your loved ones are struggling.
Ensure Open Communication
Patrick explains that communication is fundamental to connection. Having an open dialogue with your loved one about what they are going through and how you can support them is a great first step. Depending on your situation, and what they are dealing with, you may want to be delicate about how you approach this subject matter. Patrick Lawrence Floyd suggests bringing it up when you are both calm and relaxed, not in the middle of an argument or after a difficult day. Patrick Lawrence Floyd explains that everyone is different and will often require unique acts of love to feel supported. For some, it might be daily phone calls. For others, it might be as simple as just keeping them company. When you bring it up, you may want to use observations you’ve made about their behavior to explain why you’re worried, emphasizing that you’re coming from a place of love, not of judgment.
Do Not Make Assumptions
Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable asking them how they want to be supported, it is also important not to make any assumptions. Nine times out of ten, people support others how they themselves like to be supported. If your loved one isn’t forthcoming with this information, or doesn’t know exactly how they want to be supported, considering thinking about how they’ve supported you in the past, and try to follow suit.
Help Them With Everyday Tasks
When tragedy, loss, grief, depression or anxiety is overwhelming someone you love, it can be difficult for them to complete simple tasks. Patrick Lawrence Floyd explains that a great way to show your love and support is to do their dishes, clean their home, cook them food, or run errands for them. If you don’t have a lot of free time, you might consider ordering them delivery remotely. You may need to come to these conclusions on your own; most people going through a difficult time also don’t want to feel like a burden to others, so you may need to force these small acts of kindness on them.
Create Positive Distractions
Most times, all people need is a distraction from how they’re feeling or what they’re going through. However, it can be challenging to do this when they’re alone. Patrick Lawrence Floyd explains that you might want to take some of the hard work out of the equation by making suggestions about activities that you can do together. You could suggest going to a movie, going on a walk, crafting something together, cooking a meal, or going on a long drive. They may also request to spend some time alone, and that is okay too. Use your instincts to know when to push them to get out of the house and when to just be there if they need you.
It might be your first instinct to get someone to talk about what they are going through. But for some, talking about it can only make things worse. You know the person you love better than anyone, so use your judgment on how to approach verbal support. It can be useful to outline at the outset whether they’re looking for advice or just want to vent about what they’re going through.
