The Healing Power of Community
When you’re struggling with depression, anxiety from illness or chronic pain, it’s easy to isolate yourself from others. The weight of mental and physical suffering feels like your own personal burden to bear.
When you’re struggling with depression, anxiety from illness or chronic pain, it’s easy to isolate yourself from others. The weight of mental and physical suffering feels like your own personal burden to bear.
The outside world seems too full of people who won’t understand what you’re going through. So you retreat inward and shut out society.
We've all been there many times before, retreating from the world when our own health issues and depression threatened to overwhelm us. But as comforting as isolation may seem, it only makes the suffering worse.
We humans are social creatures to our core. When facing health challenges, we need community, connection and empathy more than ever.
You can find incredible solace in sharing experiences with support groups of others going through similar struggles. While every health journey is unique, you can be constantly struck by how many universal emotions emerge.
The shock of diagnosis, the waves of sadness and hopelessness, the alienation we feel when friends don’t understand. You can make deep connections and lifelong friends through opening up about challenges amongst others who faced the same demons.
There is remarkable healing power in voicing your struggles and having them truly heard and validated by people who have been there themselves. The solidarity of shared experience puts issues in perspective and reminds you that you don’t have to face this alone.
Give and take support, have a shoulder to lean on, find empathy - this is how we get through the darkest times.
For those isolated and adrift in the waters of chronic health problems - reach out your hand. Seek community spaces, in person or online, to connect with others facing similar issues.
Share, listen, offer comfort. By banding together, we can withstand so much more.
You are never alone.
