I had a different post scheduled this week. But in memory and in honor of Robin Williams, and for everyone who suffers from depression, today’s question of the week is “Can you Ask for Help?”
Everyone struggles with feeling down at different points in our lives. I blogged earlier about some of my ups and downs in How to Have a Pity Party and Riding the Emotional Rollercoaster of Change. I’ve had plenty of ups and downs in my journey so far. Each of us have.
One thing we need to remember:
You are not alone.
If you feel alone, call someone. Reach out, and ask for help. That is the most adaptable, the most problem-solving thing you can do. You are asking from a position of strength, not weakness.
It takes strength to say, “Please, I need help. I can’t do it alone.” Whatever your “it” is.
That is your first step towards building your emotional resilience, towards solving whatever problem you have. Asking for help.
Please call someone. Please.
In the US, this is the phone number for the National Suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Each of us needs a support system. You can find your support system. People can help you.
That’s this week’s question of the week. You don’t need to be desperate. You don’t need to be alone, whether it’s depression or any other problem. If you are overwhelmed, can you call a friend? Can you ask for help? I hope so.
yes. and not just for depression.
For everything. My biggest learning in life, is fearing to ask for help, on a moment I think I don’t need help.
Everytime I do this, I’m blown away about the results.
Yves, me too. I ask for help in many ways and in many places. I am always surprised—happily—by those results.
We do not give our fellow humans enough credit for wanting to help and being able to help us.
I don’t know enough about depression, the disease. I suspect even knowing to ask for help is difficult. Negotiating the health care system in the US can by a byzantine problem.
I hope people don’t give up asking for help. It’s difficult. It’s been worth it, so far, for me.