Giving emotional support is a way of helping people feel connected and less alone. This is not always easy, and different situations calls for different types of support.
Providing emotional support requires a person to listen without judgement and show that they understand by responding empathetically. This may mean that a person has to resist the impulse to try and fix things or talk someone out on how they are feeling.
More than half of people say that they need emotional support to make difficult decisions for people with mental or physical health conditions, having the right social support can help improve the quality of life and even lengthen it.
WHAT IS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT?
Emotional support is the act of showing care and compassion for one another. It can be verbal or non -verbal. It may include actions such as helping a person, calling a therapist or giving a hug to a crying friend.
Emotional support can help a person cope with their emotions and experiences and show them that they are not alone. This can make a substantial difference to someone’s health and happiness.
WHAT ARE QUALITIES OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT?
Emotional support can look different depending on the situation, the people involved and cultural or social norms. However there are some hall marks of good emotional support that apply in any situation.
Effective emotional support is;
- Respectful, treating the person in need with dignity and consideration
- Non-judgmental, which means that a person does not judge the others thoughts , feelings or perspective
- Compassionate, providing reassurance and understanding.
- Person centered, meaning that it focuses on the wants and needs of the person seeking support.
BY; FAITH MUKHWANA