Life throws unexpected adversities your way, and at times, it may feel as though you are the only one dealing with such a tragedy. Support groups are a place to meet with others going through similar life challenges.
Meeting a group of strangers can be intimidating at first, but sharing a common complicated process has benefits that even your family or friends may not understand. There might be an adjustment period of opening up to the group, but you will experience a sense of relief that you might not have found elsewhere once you feel comfortable enough to do so.
Here are some benefits of relating to others going through similar life situations.
You will feel less lonely. With the social distancing and stay-at-home orders, relationships feel farther away than they have ever felt before. There seems to be no hope for those who suffer from chronic loneliness as much as those newly dealing with societal disconnections.
Fostering connections is a way to fight your loneliness and promote health amongst the emotional stressors. We may be limited in our ability to connect physically, but it is still possible to build healthy connections. Relating to people will lessen your loneliness, especially with those who will understand your pain the most.
You will be able to process your emotions safely. Our current society provides rare opportunities to relate deeply and intimately with others concerning our struggles. Honoring your complicated story and processing the emotions that arise from your situation is an essential part of your healing journey.
Processing one’s emotions is a way of recognizing, understanding, finding appropriate ways of expressing them. It takes a safe space to accept and receive all spectrums of your feelings from negative to positive. Most of us are used to suppressing our emotions, especially the negative ones, in a way that develops into an unhealthy relationship with ourselves and even others. Meeting with others that understand your uniquely painful situation creates an opportunity for you and all your emotions to be accepted and processed.
It improves motivation in your day today. When stress is overwhelmingly taken over our daily lives, we are left exhausted and unmotivated. One’s willpower is tested from the first thing in the morning; if activities such as getting out of bed turn into a struggle, motivation in your day can be found within an empowering community.
A community is where you feel a sense of belonging and understanding. Going through a challenging situation gives you a new lens through which you view your life. There is a community of others that also share that lens with you. You will cultivate motivation for healing with people that share similar life experiences.
It alleviates mental distress. Challenging life events position us in a spot of emotional ‘stuckness.’ We become frustrated, angry, and stressed with the negative cycle we are trapped in. Hearing other people’s struggles and ways to deal with their challenges can unfold ways to deal with the distressing situation that you haven’t thought of.
Once you hear about similar experiences coming from others, you feel validated and accepted. There is an alleviation associated with sharing your distressing emotions. You will be able to share your heavy load with people who can understand and help you carry it.
There is a powerful healing that takes place when you share your story with others. Your emotional challenges matter to us, and at Circles, we are here to provide a safe space for your account to be heard.