Opening up about your struggles can seem like a very daunting task. You might feel like you need the other person to understand your situation and what you’re going through but at the same time, you don’t want to burden others or make the situation harder for yourself by talking about it. The important thing to remember when you want to open up to someone about what you need help with is staying within your comfort zone. Don’t feel the need to explain everything if it makes you uncomfortable; try taking the topic of conversation away from the source of the problem and onto yourself and your emotions instead.
Oftentimes when we talk about our struggles, we tend to get angry or frustrated or sad because hearing about them makes us feel a certain way. Try talking about the emotions associated with your problem instead of the actual problem itself. For example, instead of saying a pet died try talking about how you feel now that you lost your pet. You could explain how you feel lonely or sad, without having to talk about your pet dying. When the other person knows more about your story and less about how you’re feeling because of it, they could end up saying some insensitive or hurtful things so, when you’re talking about what you need help with, try limiting the talk to you. This will help the other person you’re talking to better understand how your feeling and it will also prevent you from getting triggered as well.
Some don’t like talking about their problems with others because it reminds them of things they’d rather forget or because it makes the problem seem so much more real. Another way to talk about something without getting too stressed about it is to not give the bigger picture and to tone down on the details. For example, if you were to be struggling with anxiety, try steering the conversation to a narrower, more focused topic, for example, the panic attacks you encounter daily. Talking about everything all at once can be overwhelming for you and the person you’re talking to which can stress you out. Talking this way can also ensure you actually get the help and support you need for a specific problem rather than just broadly addressing the whole, multi-faceted issue.
When you want to talk to someone about your problems, make sure that you’ve come to terms with it. Make sure that you’re comfortable talking about it to help you avoid any stressful or overwhelming feelings. It’s important to remember that you should only talk about your problems with others when you’re ready to address them yourself.
Thank you for the question. If you find anything unclear or if you need any further assistance, you can call us at 403-264-TEEN (8336) or text us at 587-333-2724.
