Tag Archives: support

Jan17

Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions With These Solutions

Posted on by
Standard
Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions With These Solutions

Are you making a New Year’s resolution for a more healthy lifestyle? If so, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, many of these resolutions often fail due to a lack of planning and support. Even when you make the conscious choice to live healthier by implementing simple steps, such as switching your food choices or being more active, these decisions can be tricky to maintain in the long term. In reality, most of us end up unknowingly self-sabotaging because we lack support. Here’s what to do about that and where to find the support you need this year:

Creating a support system:

Creating a support system is key to successfully turning your healthy resolutions into reality. No matter how much we plan and prepare, there will be times when we simply lack the motivation to make healthy choices. This is why having a support system is so important: It helps provide encouragement and accountability to keep us on track. Having a supportive group of friends, family members, or colleagues will give you a group to share in your success and push you to keep improving.

Picking the right insurance:

Having the right insurance coverage is an important part of any health plan. Whether you are trying to make healthy lifestyle changes or just need financial protection, having the right insurance can make a huge difference:

Medical Insurance: Medical insurance is a great way to get access to preventative care like physicals, screenings, and vaccinations. It can also provide financial protection for medical emergencies, helping to ensure that you receive the care you need without breaking the bank. As not all policies are made equal, you want to research the best option for you.

Life Insurance: Life insurance is a way to provide financial security for your loved ones in the event of your death. It can provide funds to pay off debts and provide financial support to those who depend on you. More importantly, it’s part of a long-term health plan involving your family. Unsure about the right policy for you? It’s worth reading about it, starting with these National Life Group reviews for guidance.

Seeking specialist support:

Why do everything alone when you can find guidance from experts?

Hiring a personal trainer will help you reach your health and fitness goals this year. Personal trainers offer personalized support and guidance to help keep you motivated and on track with your fitness journey. They provide custom advice and support and can also help you create a fitness program tailored to your individual needs and abilities.

ny2

Unsplash Image

A nutritionist can also be a big help in achieving a healthier lifestyle. Even if you think you already know what a healthy diet looks like, seeing a nutritionist can provide insights on how to add variety and make sure you’re getting the proper nutrients for your specific needs.

Don’t let your New Year’s resolutions die out this January. Seize the opportunity to go further and give yourself a chance for success!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Advertisement
Oct21

Period Problems: Talking To Your Teen

Posted on by
Standard
Period Problems: Talking To Your Teen

When it comes to talking to your teen about anything, especially something as personal and private as periods, you might feel like you’re hitting a brick wall. They’ll clam up, tune out, and give you that look that says they know something you don’t. But don’t worry. There are ways to ease into the subject with them so it doesn’t seem like such a foreign topic. Keep reading for some tips on how to talk to your teen about periods without making it uncomfortable for them:

They Can Still Do Everything They Love:

Your main goal should be to let them know that they can continue to do everything they love. Like playing sports or hanging out with their friends, while they’re getting ready to get their period. Things like period swimwear for teens exist now. So daily life doesn’t have to grind to a halt. They’ll appreciate the fact that you don’t make it seem like periods are an interruption of life, rather a small annoyance.

Find The Right Time And Place:

Before you bring it up, you’ll have to try to find the right time and place. Think about how much your teen might be willing to open up to you. If they’re open to talking about it, you can try to bring it up when they seem ready, like when they seem less distracted by other things. Or by asking them outright if they want to chat. For example, they’ll be open to talking more when they’re done with Netflix or their homework.

Make It Clear You Care:

If you want your teen to feel like they can talk to you about periods, you’ll want to make it clear that you care. You might say things like, “I’m so sorry you have to deal with this, but I’m glad we can talk about it.” Or, “It’s important for you to talk to someone if you’re feeling sad or if you have questions about your body.” You can tell your teen that you want them to feel like they can talk to you about periods by saying things like these.

Be Patient:

As you try to talk to your teen about periods, you’ll want to be patient and give them space to share their thoughts. You don’t want to push them into talking about something they’re not ready to. It can seem pushy or overly inductive if you try to “push” your teen into talking about periods right away. Instead, try to wait until you see that your teen is ready to open up about it.

Ask Open-Ended Questions:

Try to use open-ended questions to get your teen talking about periods. What do they think about periods? What are their questions? Open-ended questions help you get your teen thinking without giving them a direct answer and help them open up to talking about something they might not otherwise talk about. They can help you get your teen talking about periods in a non-pushy way and give them space to share their thoughts.

Don’t Let Embarrassment Stop You:

It’s important to remember that they might feel embarrassed, weird, or even gross about period problems. Especially if they haven’t talked to anyone about it yet. It’s normal for teens to feel that way, but you have to try to avoid making them feel like that. If your teen is embarrassed about talking about periods, try to avoid making them feel like they have to talk about it. Make it clear that it’s okay if they don’t want to talk about it and that you’re not going to make them do it if they don’t want to.

First periods can be scary and it’s important to keep your teen’s mind at ease. Use the tips above for a good place to start!

Featured Image By: Sora Shimazaki via Pexels

Jun14

Aggression: What Is It & How To Deal

Posted on by
Standard
Aggression: What Is It & How To Deal

Aggression is a complex emotion to manage. Whether it is coming from yourself or another person, it can be overwhelming and destructive. In order to deal with aggression effectively, you need to understand what it is and how it manifests. You also need to have some tools in your toolbox to help you deal with the situation. Let’s discuss:

What is Aggression?

First, it is important to understand what aggression is. Aggression is an emotion that is characterized by feeling angry, frustrated, or violent. It can be directed at yourself or another person. When you are feeling aggressive, you may feel like you want to hurt someone or something. You may also feel like you are out of control.

Common Signs of Aggression:

If you can identify the signs that you are beginning to feel aggressive, then you can start to deal with the emotion before it gets out of hand. Some common signs of aggression include: clenched fists, gritting your teeth, feeling flushed or hot, sweating, fast heartbeat, and shortness of breath. If you notice any of these signs, take a step back and try to calm down.

Find Out What is the Reason Behind Your Aggression:

Sometimes the reason behind your aggression can be helpful in managing it. If you know what is making you angry, you can try and address the issue directly. For example, if you are mad at your boss, talk to them about it instead of bottling it up until you explode. If there is something that is beyond your control that is making you angry, try and find a way to let go of it.

Techniques to Deal with Aggression:

There are many different techniques that you can use to deal with aggression. Some people may find that one method works better for them than others. Experiment and find what works best for you:

Visualization:

One technique that can be helpful is visualization. When you start to feel yourself getting angry, close your eyes and imagine yourself in a calm place. This could be at the beach, in the mountains, or anywhere else that makes you feel peaceful. Try and picture every detail of this place in your mind – the more vivid, the better. Focus on the sounds, smells, and sights around you. Take some deep breaths and relax into the image.

Breathing Exercises:

Another common technique is breathing exercises. When you start to feel your heart rate increase and you get short of breath, stop and take some deep breaths. Inhale through your nose for a count of four, hold it for a count of four, and then exhale through your mouth for a count of four. Repeat this several times until you start to feel calmer.

Alternative Methods:

There are many other methods that you can use to deal with aggression. For example, some people find that physical activity, such as running or hitting a punching bag can help them release their aggression in a healthy way. Others may find that journaling or talking to friends can help them understand and process their emotions. Or they find that using products like CBS can help calm them down. If you are interested in trying CBS, click on this link here. Finding what works best for you is all about trial and error but when you find it, you will definitely know.

ahh1

^^^ Photo by Jonathan Tomas on Unsplash

Everyone deals with their emotions differently and some are more difficult to handle than others. Use the tips above to help you get started for a more mentally sound you!

Featured Image By: Monstera from Pexels

Sep24

How To Cope With An Exercise Injury   

Posted on by
Standard
How To Cope With An Exercise Injury   

The recovery process for sports injuries usually concentrates on physical rehab. But for athletes, it’s also important to incorporate sports psychology techniques to help them recover mentally. When you’re otherwise healthy and physically active, an injury can be frustrating. Resilience is needed both physically and psychologically to cope with injury stress.

Despite these feelings, it’s important to move forward and find more positive ways to overcome this setback. Athletes who can handle injuries gracefully will become more focused, flexible, and resilient. The following strategies can help:

Educate Yourself:

Ask your doctor, trainer, coach, or therapist the following questions to learn what you need to do to heal quickly and fully:

  • Do I have an injury (what type is it)?
  • How can I get treated?
  • Why am I receiving these treatments?
  • Can this be recovered in a reasonable amount of time?
  • During rehabilitation, what should I expect?
  • Are there any safe alternatives to traditional exercise?
  • If I get worse, what are the warning signs?

A second opinion may be necessary if you feel uncomfortable with the response from your care team.

Recovery Is Your Responsibility:

Your recovery can be impacted if you take responsibility for it. A greater sense of confidence can be found when you take control of your recovery process. The process also helps you recover faster than trying to return to the level of performance that you had before your injury. Making sure you have a first aid kit with medical ice packs is a start to taking responsibility and good care of yourself.

Stay Committed To Your Recovery Process:

Others may lose motivation and slack off on their therapy, while others may become discouraged and quit. To heal quickly, be committed to your treatment and listen to your doctor and/or athletic trainer. You can stay balanced as you achieve your healing goal by setting small daily or weekly goals that build momentum. You should also speak to yourself positively.

Stay focused on what you need to do and not what you will miss during your daily rehab. Work hard and maintain a positive attitude throughout it.

Get Support From Others:

Following an injury, it is common to isolate from teammates, coaches, and friends. You should keep in touch with others as you recover. They can offer advice or encouragement when you need to vent. Make sure that you are surrounded by strong, positive people who can encourage you during your recovery and boost your spirits when you are feeling discouraged. It can be very comforting to know that you are not alone when you suffer an injury.

These four tips should help you to look after yourself during recovery from an injury. Be good to you and get well soon!

Featured Image By: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Aug26

How To Support Musical Children

Posted on by
Standard
How To Support Musical Children

Music can be beneficial to children in many different ways. Playing or listening to music can be an enjoyable thing to do together, a way for children to learn new skills, develop their creativity, and explore their emotions. If your child has shown an interest in becoming a musician, how can you best support them?

Encourage Listening Skills:

Getting children to begin to enjoy exploring music can be a fun thing for the two of you to do together. As you listen to music, ask your child to describe to you what they can hear so they can start to work on their listening skills. Choose a piece of music you think they will like and ask them questions as you listen. Ask them questions like:

  • What sounds can you hear?
  • How would you describe this piece of music?
  • How does this piece of music make you feel?

Having these conversations can also help your child to begin to build their communication skills as they find the right words to describe things to you.

Play Along To Music:

Children love making noise, and a musical instrument along with something like Moon River sheet music can be a good way to channel that interest in noise into something more creative. Encourage them to play along with a song they enjoy so they can think about the different parts of the music. Suggest they try to play as loudly and then as quietly as they can with different ways of making sound such as clapping or tapping a pan with a spoon.

Another fun game to help them to build an understanding of beat and volume is to ‘wake’ a sleeping toy. Using one of their stuffed animals, ask the child to wake it up by playing loudly and make the toy go to sleep by playing softly. You could also move the toy around in time with the beat.

Move To Music:

Children often really love to dance, and you can support this with an enjoyment of music. Tempo is the speed in music, and children can get a good grasp of what this means by exploring it with their movements. Put on music and encourage your child to move as they listen. Watch to see what they do, then join in with them by copying their ideas. By mimicking their ideas, they will see that you value and are interested in what they think.

For some children, physically responding to the music might feel more natural than playing instruments or talking about music. Offer them lots of different genres of music to listen to and see how they respond and move to different kinds of music. You might be surprised by what they actually enjoy the most. Music that has a range of tempos in it can be great fun.

Try listening to music from around the world too, from a range of cultures. This is a good way to explore music and encourage them to have a conversation with you about different cultures too.

Whether your child wants to be a rock star, a drummer like Joey Armstrong, a dancer, or just loves to listen to music, supporting this will be amazing fun for the both of you!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Jan14

Living With Anxiety? Here’s How To Make Coping Easier

Posted on by
Standard
Living With Anxiety? Here’s How To Make Coping Easier

You know that feeling, where your heart starts to pound and your breathing quickens in response to a stressful or worrying situation? Or maybe you’re familiar with the feeling of having sweaty, clammy palms when you have an overwhelming or stressful situation to deal with? These feelings are both anxiety, which is the body’s response to feelings of stress and being overwhelmed.

Having a little anxiety on a semi-regular basis is fairly normal. However, it’s when anxiety begins to take over your life that there can be a problem, and it is something that is worth looking further into. While realising that you have anxiety can be stressful, don’t panic – there are plenty of ways that you can make managing living with anxiety easier.

It’s important to remember when it comes to anxiety that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to anxiety management; what works for one person may not work for another. The key to successfully being able to manage anxiety is making sure that you find the right approach for you and your needs. This could mean talking with a therapist or trying an inpatient program at Honey Lake Clinic or one of your local facilities.

Bearing that in mind, below is a guide to a selection of anxiety coping and management strategies that you might find helpful. Have a read, take note, and determine which options work best for you:

Identify your triggers:

One of the most important steps that you can take when it comes to managing anxiety is identifying what triggers it in the first place. For some people, anxiety is triggered by experiences like starting a new job, meeting a partner’s family or friends, having to give a presentation at work, or attending a health appointment. For others, anxiety isn’t about experiences, it’s simply linked to stress and overthinking different things.

The fact is, that everyone has their own anxiety triggers; what triggers a friend with anxiety to become anxious may not trigger you, and vice versa. Often, anxiety is linked to a previous experience or situation, and things that are linked to those situations and experiences can, therefore, cause anxiety.

For example, say you got stuck in a lift and it took a while to be rescued. This may result in anxiety around using lifts or of being in confined spaces. Or, perhaps you had a loved one pass away in traumatic circumstances, you may find that you start to become anxious about other loved ones and the traumatic circumstance that caused the death, such as being involved in a road traffic accident.

By identifying what your triggers are, you can help make managing your anxiety a little easier. Because once you know what causes you to become anxious, you can begin to work out strategies for dealing with those feelings.

Decide the best strategies for coping:

When it comes to living with anxiety, it is no easy task. For some people, anxiety can be a minor annoyance and for others, anxiety can be completely and utterly debilitating. But by putting coping strategies in place, you can make managing your anxiety simpler and easier. The key here is to decide what the best coping strategies are for you and your anxiety.

Focused deep breathing is one anxiety management strategy that a lot of people find helpful. If you feel that you are becoming overly anxious, you might find that focused, deep breathing could help. You can either try and utilize this technique on your own or you can opt to use an app like the Calm app to help you manage the process of deep breathing to calm your anxiety.

Some people find that getting out and about helps them feel less stressed out. Sometimes, simply taking the time to get out of the house and go for a walk can be all it takes to relieve some of the stresses and strains that you might be struggling with.

Other anxiety sufferers find that sourcing certain treatments, such as Neurofeedback anxiety support can help them to make managing their anxiety and its associated symptoms a little easier to navigate. CBD products are also something that can help with the tension and stress of anxiety. Blessed CBD offers capsules, oils, gummies, and creams that could help take the edge off from particularly triggering events or situations. As always, do your research before you begin a CBD regimen to determine what is best for you.

Keeping a journal of your thoughts and feelings can also be helpful when it comes to managing anxiety. Writing down what is making you feel anxious helps to get that concern out of your head and can make dealing with it less daunting and stressful.

Talking is another useful way to help make living with anxiety easier too. When you talk and share how you are feeling, you start to feel less pressure and less stress as a result. Whether you find talking with a friend or family member, speaking to a therapist, or talking to other anxiety sufferers helpful, talking can be a fantastic tool for reducing feelings of anxiety.

You may also want to consider joining some anxiety support groups, as it’s often helpful to have other people to talk to who understand what it is that you are going through and are able to offer support by sharing their own experiences.

Managing anxiety is no simple or straightforward task but the ideas above can help minimize those feelings and get you moving in the right direction.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec20

How To Cope With A Scary Medical Diagnosis

Posted on by
Standard
How To Cope With A Scary Medical Diagnosis

There’s nothing quite like being diagnosed with a serious illness or disease. It’s a situation nightmares are made of. Even if you suspected that something was wrong, this information completely knocks you for six, taking over your entire life in one terrifying and paralyzing moment. It may feel as though time has stopped, but you do need to find a way carry on. To help you cope with this scary news and bring balance back into your life, here are six things that you can do:

Allow Yourself To Feel:

Maintaining a positive attitude can help you to make better choices and improve your quality of life. However, if you’re not feeling particularly positive, you shouldn’t have to fake it. Many people diagnosed with serious illnesses choose to put on a brave face so as to not worry their loved ones. Unfortunately, this can be incredibly overwhelming. It’s much healthier to let yourself feel and not be ashamed of it.

Use The Web Wisely:

Certain conditions most of us already know quite a bit about, but, when you’re diagnosed with something you’ve never heard of, one of the first places you might turn is the internet. Just make sure you use it wisely. As useful of a tool as the web can be, it also contains some wildly inaccurate information. It’s much more sensible to talk to trusted health professionals, instead.

diagnosis1

Pexels Image

Avoid The What Ifs:

When we receive a serious diagnosis, our minds instantly jump to the worst case scenario. You should avoid doing the same. As beneficial as some services from hospices may be, you’re not at the point that you need them yet, and actually may never be. You might think that you’re preparing for the future, but all you’re really doing is causing yourself unnecessary stress.

Choose Whom To Tell:

The support of your family and friends is crucial in times like this, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should tell everyone you know right away. A loved one who is going to cry or offer unhelpful advice every time you see them is someone you may want to keep this information from, at least until you’ve wrapped your head around it. Only talk to those who will help you.

diagnosis2

Pexels Image

Find Those Who Understand:

No one can ever truly understand what you’re going through, but there are plenty of people that can take a good guess. You’re not the only person in the world to be diagnosed with your illness, so, instead of battling it alone, you could consider talking to those who are going through the same thing or have in the past. You can often find these people through support groups.

Stick To Your Routine:

Certain illnesses will require treatments that take up large portions of your day. However, when possible, you should try to stick to your usual routine. Some days you will want to lay in bed and ignore the world, and that is okay, but you can’t let this be your life. If you do, your diagnosis will define you. You may choose to cut back on certain things, but many elements can stay the same.

Hearing a scary diagnosis will never be easy, but, hopefully, with these tips, you can cope better through the next few days and weeks.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov23

How To Pull Yourself Out Of A Slump & Get Motivated

Posted on by
Standard
How To Pull Yourself Out Of A Slump & Get Motivated

Getting motivated can be hard work, especially if something big has happened to demotivate you. This could include losing your job, not achieving a goal, or even just life in general. You have to remember that only you can get yourself out of the slump that you are in right now and, by putting the effort in, you can be sure to give yourself the boost you need:

Have One Goal:

If you are in a slump, then there is a high chance that this is because you have far too much going on in your life right now. You are probably trying too hard, and you may be trying to accomplish too many things at once. If you want to try and get around this, then you need to choose one single goal. You also need to focus on it completely and give it everything you have. This will help you to achieve it much more efficiently and it will also help you with your motivation, especially once you complete the task at hand.

slump

Pexels Image

Find Inspiration:

Inspiration is quite possibly the best way for you to get motivated. Look at what you want to achieve, and then look at the people who have actually done it. You will soon see that they went through stages where they were demotivated, as well, but it didn’t stop them from going out there and making their dreams come true.

Get Excited:

If you want to get out of a slump, then you need to get yourself excited about a goal. Talk to other people about what you want to achieve and visualize what it would be like to be successful. When you do this, you can then get that additional drive and push yourself harder.

Get Some Support:

It is incredibly difficult to accomplish something on your own. If you want to run a marathon, for example, then you need to have your friends and family around you. You may want to join a running club and even go onto forums to find out what other people do in order to get motivated. If you have been in an accident that stops you from achieving what you want, then look for legal support, such as an injury lawyer. The support you get will largely depend on your own situation but, either way, you should never try and get by without it.

Commit:

If you have something that you want to achieve, then don’t be afraid to go public with your idea. When you do this, you give yourself more motivation than ever and you can also prove to those around you that you can do whatever you put your mind to. This can be a really big self-confidence booster too, so this is an important factor for you to take into consideration when planning your goals.

A slump around the holidays can be the worst, so use the tips above and get yourself back on track!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Apr4

How Sports Parents Can Empower Their Kids

Posted on by
Standard
How Sports Parents Can Empower Their Kids

Whether you had a childhood love of sports that your kids are picking up or you simply want to see them succeed and grow in all that they do, it’s easy for parents to get emotionally involved in their kids’ teams and competitions. Parents have an important role in helping their child do the best they can, too. You just need to know the right ways to empower them:

Get Involved:

If you want your child to feel your support, then actually get involved in supporting the team. There’s usually a whole troop of parents helping with the organization and administration of school sports teams, from arranging trips to helping design uniforms. Volunteer your time, show up early to practice, and attend every game. If you’re net savvy, you can even offer to run a social media page for the team or, otherwise, share their posts and contribute feedback. Let your child feel the support for the whole team, not just the pressure on themselves.

Talk About It:

Knowing how your child actually feels about the sport and their own performance is just as important. It’s not uncommon for parents to fall into the trap of encouraging a child to succeed in a sport that they might not necessarily be into. Ask your child how they feel about practice, the team, and the responsibilities that come with a sport. Give them somewhere safe to vent their frustrations and share their concerns. Look at Active for Life for ideas on topics to broach if they’re having trouble opening up. Even if they love the game, they could use someone to talk to if they have suffered a loss or a roadblock during practice.

parents1

 Lace up!

Invest If They’re Invested:

Mental attitude and physical training aren’t all that can influence a game. If your child is serious about their sport, it helps if you are, too. Not just by supporting them, but by investing in the gear that can help them succeed. If they’re a goalkeeper, browse Renegade GK for more information on how the right gloves can improve their game. If they’re a member of a youth baseball league, make sure you’re looking for the best regulation bats on the market. The right equipment doesn’t just make changes to how they play the game. It’s an effective way of showing your support and belief in your child.

Don’t Push Too Hard:

Know when to step back and take a breath. When a member of the team makes a mistake or when a referee misses a call, it can be easy to feel your cool being tested. But by pushing too hard, you might only end up embarrassing your child and even prompting them to lose their love of the game. Support them, but don’t try and be their advocate every second during practice and matches. Talk to the coach if you have some thoughts, but don’t push and put too much pressure on them.

Being a sports parent is all about knowing your boundaries and knowing what you can do within them. Support, advise, and help, but be aware that you’re not the coach, the referee, or the player. Try to always keep things positive and constructive, and watch your athlete succeed.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Jul24

Identifying When Your Friend Might Need Your Support

Posted on by
Standard
Identifying When Your Friend Might Need Your Support

Despite the immense potential and beauty that life can offer, and does offer all of the time, sometimes we all must enter periods of sadness, sorrow, and doubt. This can trigger from a range of different problems, and we all experience it now and then. Not everyone can be functioning at 100% all of the time, and periods of depression or isolation can actually serve for the greater good in the long-term. If you’re going through a period of depression, that previous statement must be apologized for in terms of its bluntness, but not it terms of its message.

Trivializing depression is always wrong, but robbing it of all complete perceptive value would be wrong, too. Overcoming a depressive episode can make you a stronger, more down-to-earth person. Remember, a tree’s branches can only reach as high as its roots go. A person who has successfully made it through a depressive episode is likely to come through the other side better off in some ways. It can be a purifying fire, that forces you to prioritize what is important to you, who is important to you, and how you can best live your life with wisdom and foresight.

However, this doesn’t mean that being depressed isn’t real. If you’ve been through feelings of despair yourself, you’ll know about the support that you hope for but usually can’t articulate your desire to retrieve. As a friend, it’s important that you keep an eye on your other friends or roommates to make sure they are okay and doing well. Here’s what to look for if you notice a change for the negative in your loved ones:

Change In Physical Appearance: Depression can rob you of many things, not the least your physical vitality. If you’ve noticed that your friend lacks their usual vitality, they could be deeply depressed, or even worse, they might be turning to substances to overcome their issues. This never works in the short or long term, but is a tempting process for someone who feels that they have no escape.

Communicating your concerns can be difficult to approach in these circumstances without seeming hostile. Living with a prescription addict can be even worse, because they can often get a sanctified, legal way to obtain their habitual maladies. To overcome these issues, try and help them get help through any means necessary. Inform their GP and family. Be there for them. If you have to, organize some form of stay-in recovery. Depression culminates in many ways, and people take it differently depending on their personality. Another sign to look out for is:

Withdrawing From Social Life: Withdrawing from standard social discourse is a good sign that tells you that someone isn’t functioning at 100%. Another sign is keeping an odd schedule, such as replying to your messages on social media at the early hours of the morning. A symptom of depression is late sleeping and late rising, so be sure to look out for this. Even introverted people need social contact, so complete withdrawal, especially if said person used to be social, can be taken in a number of ways.

Communicate clearly to the person that you harbor no ill-will for them limiting themselves or withdrawing, but let them know that you are worried about them. Never stop inviting them to places. Consider doing activities inside with just the two of you. Try and open up conversation as much as possible without being annoying. See what you can do to be present. Even if they don’t show it, they’ll likely need you far more than you think.

Sometimes, the best remedy as a friend is your simple presence. However, sometimes it requires more than that. Be sure to identify which one will be more helpful and take further action when needed. What matters is your observation and your willingness to help your friend through thick and thin.

Featured Image By: Flickr