What do your friends do when you’re struggling?
Do they take care of you, or do they keep a safe distance until the storm is gone?
In times of pain and mental exhaustion, we can get pretty messy and confused. Surely, sometimes we can handle our troubles with confidence and finesse, but this doesn’t happen that often.
Usually, we tend to completely fall apart, and we need our friends to back us up in such moments.
However, there are still some of them who would simply say “Stop crying, it’s not the end of the world.” and expect us to magically regenerate from the mess. They act like the fact that you are going through something and you are overstressed annoys them. Like a simple “get over it” will instantly help you overcome the struggle.
Well, newsflash: You are not some robot that turns its emotions off and on with the pressing of a single button. Your feelings are not something you can entirely control. Your heart is not a part that can easily be replaced with a brand new.
What’s even more disturbing is how those people mask their intolerance and play it like they are worried about your health. Instead of putting effort into understanding you, they point out all the bad habits you are developing in these times of struggle. You already know it’s unhealthy to overthink, overstress, and overdrink when you’re sad. You don’t need anyone to point the finger at you.
What you truly need is someone who would understand you and will support you during these hard times.
Like it or not, going through such harmful and emotionally damaging experiences helps you clearly see who your true friends are.
Only the real ones stay beside you no matter what challenges life brings you.
When you throw yourself into work, or you over-exercise to get your mind busy to stop thinking about the pain, you need someone to be simply there for you. Anxiety can hit you hard, and oftentimes you are not able to handle it all by yourself. That’s why you need a real friend to help you survive the storm and encourage you to move forward.
This real friend is someone who will accept you no matter how messy and chaotic you get.
This someone will always pay attention to your mental health. Besides, they will give you an honest reality check when you need one. Not only they will be there for you in the agony, but they will also motivate you to do better and crush your anxiety.
Healing doesn’t happen overnight. It needs a lot of time, care, and love.
Not every day is going to be a good one. Sometimes you will have to deal with vigorous hurricanes to get through the day. These are the times you realize who truly cares for you and deserves to be a part of your life. Everyone else is temporary and not worthy of your time and energy.
Friendships don’t magically last for ages.
You need to invest in them. And when a friend of yours is feeling down and incapable of managing with their own life, you have to be there to help them. Don’t tell them everything is going to be okay. Don’t underestimate their pain. And for heaven’s sake, don’t be intolerant to their struggle.
