Opening up to someone about how you are truly feeling can be difficult and scary.
Here are some tips to not only help you open up, but to support someone if they come to you for support.
Approaching the conversation
Sometimes approaching a conversation about your wellbeing can be difficult, try to remember that asking for help or support is important when you are struggling.
Talk to someone that you can trust and feel comfortable with.
Some examples of conversation starters can be;
If you feel as if you are a danger to yourself, please raise the alarm and tell someone your thoughts.
Expressing how you feel.
Once you have initiated the conversation, be open and honest about how you feel and what you are struggling with.
Take some time to think about what you want to talk about.
Writing down your thoughts can help make sure that you share your problems clearly.
If you feel overwhelmed, you don’t have to go through it all at once.
Don’t look for answers from who you are talking to as you may leave the conversation feeling disappointed that you didn’t get the answers you wanted.
Taking the step to talk about how you feel is so important and there are always people to listen and help. – go to our help and support page.
Tips on how to engage in a wellbeing conversation;
Make sure that you are giving your full attention to them. If you are in a rush or have to be somewhere that you can’t reschedule, don’t brush this person off, instead tell them the circumstances and reassure them that you can carry on the conversation afterwards.
Do say: This is really important to me and I don’t want this to be rushed, can we continue this after I …. where you will have my full attention?
Don’t say: I am in a rush will this take long?
Once this person has your full attention and you wont be disturbed,
make sure that you listen without interrupting them.
Try asking open questions to get this person talking, such as, ‘what do you think might have caused you to feel this way?’ or ‘what can I do to help/make you feel supported?’ This will allow them to speak more broadly on their issues and be more willing to answer with more details.
Remember that you don’t have to find solutions and that just being an listening ear for someone to speak to can be enough.
Follow the 5 ways of wellbeing;
Connecting,
Being active
Take notice
Keep learning
Giving
By doing this, it can help you with some issues that you are struggling with.