In the middle of the battle, it may be difficult to communicate your needs to those you are in relationship with. Sure, you know you are loved and cared for. At first, it may be difficult for you to genuinely open to them-to let them in on how you are really doing. Sharing the truth about where you are emotionally and what your needs really are is an important and necessary step. Confession is good for the soul but that doesn’t mean it is going to come easy or feel natural. Here are a few things you can do to let your people know what you really need when you find yourself in rough waters.
How do you communicate your needs when you are battling anxiety or depression?
- Don’t minimize.
Maybe you feel like you are too much. Maybe you are feeling like your emotions are too much. Maybe you don’t even realize you are downplaying what you are feeling or what you are experiencing. Take a deep breath, pause, and share how you feel. And then don’t add any extra commentary.
- Don’t own their response.
How someone is going to react to what you are going through is not your responsibility. Your job is not to own their response. You have a responsibility to be truthful. Your wellness is correlated to how honest you are with the people that love you most, and, quite frankly, how honest you are with yourself about how you are truly doing. Tell the truth. It may not be easy, but remember, you’re a goby and we can do hard things together!
- Ask them to pray for you.
When my friend told me that he was praying for me, something in my heart shifted. I felt a peace and a Presence that I know I need in my life. Prayer is powerful. You may be in a such a dark place that you don’t think you can get the words past your lips, that’s ok-text someone. Ask them to pray for you. Ask them to send you a verse reminding you of God’ promises or ask them to simply send you their favorite verse. By you reaching out, you are inviting the Power of community and connection to your battle. You are not alone. Send us a message-let us know you need prayer. Make sure you follow on our social sites-I am a sharing as much as I can about how I am being transformed by the power of Christ.
I will be praying for you, and I ask that you pray for me as well.
And let’s keep swimming upstream together,
Toby