As we all know, there are many moments in our lives where loved ones and people close to us will be going through hard times. Sometimes it is common knowledge that they are going through something difficult, and other times we can tell by the way they are acting. We can see it in their faces, maybe their behavior is off, or our gut feeling is telling us something is off with them. We want to reach out and help, but we may not know how to or which way is the best to help them.
How to help someone going through a hard time? The best way to help them is to sit and listen to them, to acknowledge them, and to tell them that you are there for them. Come from a heart of love and understanding and fully listen to what they have to say. You do not have to solve their problem, but rather acknowledge them and listen to them. The intent behind your words matter a lot, and people will remember how you made them feel. Be empathetic, attentive, kind, and be willing to offer that shoulder for them to cry on. Let them know that you are there for them. By approaching them with these things in mind, you will be able to greatly comfort them and help them.
What are the signs that someone is going through a hard time?
Sometimes it is public knowledge that this person is going through a hard season in their life. They just went through a breakup, lost their job, or someone closed to them had died. But what about the people who do not show it or who would rather be reluctant to share that kind of information. What are some signs that we can look for to identify that they could potentially be having hard times? Below is a shortlist of some of the things that could indicate someone is going through depression or hardship in their life.
- They lose interest in hobbies or things that they used to be passionate about.
- Their appetite may change. People going through issues may seek comfort from food, or they do not eat at all.
- Finding that they are more irritable than usual. They will become angry at small things.
- You notice that their alcohol consumption has increased a lot recently. Perhaps they started drug abuse also.
- They are disengaged and are generally not very happy. They are not very optimistic about things going on in life.
How to initially reach out to them
When we know someone is going through difficulties in life, it can often be awkward or hard to know how to reach out to them. Often, people who are going through depression, anxiety, or suffering prefer to avoid social interactions with others.
The best thing you can do is be the one to reach out to them, don’t have them reach out to you. During their time in despair, they may not have the strength in them to reach out for help. Take that burden off them and do it for them. Ask them if they just want to talk on the phone or offer to go to their place to sit and visit. Let them know that you are there for them and show them your intentions of love and care.
Some great words of encouragement to give them
Here are some common thoughts that you can remind the person to help motivate and comfort them through their situation.
1. You are not alone in this situation
Sometimes people can get so caught up in their emotions, and the moment they feel like they are the only ones going through this. By reminding them that others have also gone through this, this may relieve them to know they can relate to someone. This is a good opportunity to open up if you had any similar experiences in your life and how you grew through it.
2. Time is a great healer of pain
Time will heal all. As with many things in life, the more time that passes from the tragedy or incident, the more the pain will slowly go away. I am not saying there will never be a scare or some hurt, but the pain will lessen day by day.
3. The best opportunities for growth come from our most painful experiences.
A lot of people do not want to go through struggles. They would rather seek comfort and avoid all the hard stuff in life. The reality is the strongest people in life are the ones that have gone through the most hurt in life. It has built them into strong, resilient people that can use their experiences to teach and inspire others to overcome their challenges.
4. Your struggles you can use to serve others
One thing that can help motivate someone, especially when they are questioning why these things are happening to them, is that they will be able to take their pain and can use it to eventually help others. The struggles and pain you are going through right now; you could use this to help others through the same thing.
5. You are loved, and your life is meaningful and has a purpose.
You should also remind them that they are important, valuable, and loved. This will help them realize some light in there in the darkness. There are people in their lives that truly do care about them and want to help. If they also believe in God and have faith in Him, this may be a great time to remind them that God loves them and encourage them to pray and reach out to Him.
Final Thoughts
I truly hope that this blog post will help you when you find yourself with someone going through a hard season of life. You could be the person to truly shake them out of their darkness and be the changing factor to them. Do not underestimate how powerful your words and presence can be to them. Always be there for them, show love for them, and reassure them that they will come out of this. Your actions can have a rippling effect of good as you influence others around you and help others. Always be a light in a place that there is darkness.
“When you are in the middle of a storm cloud it’s hard to think outside of it, but the only way out of the storm is to ride through it and things will be a lot clearer on the other side” – Jodi Ann Bickley
“It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.” – Doe Zantamata
“We should always pray for help, but we should always listen for inspiration and impression to proceed in ways different from those we may have thought of.” – John H. Groberg
“Every adversity, every failure and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equivalent or a greater benefit.” – Napoleon Hill
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”–Michael Jordan
Related Questions
What to text someone going through a hard time?
Here are a short text messages to help someone in hard time;
- “Thinking of you—and trusting that this is a stepping stone along the path to something better.”
- “Sometimes, it takes a tough ending to make a bright new beginning. Wishing you the strength you need right now.”
- “The next chapter of your life is gonna be amazing.”
- “Your pain is valid. I’m here if you want someone to listen.”
- “Sorry, things are crappy. If you need somebody to binge-watch a whole season of something with you, I’m there.”
Why should you receive and give more hugs?
Give hugs and receive more hugs! Hugs have been shown to help protect against stress and infection, release oxytocin, and help people feel like everything will be okay.