Emotional support: what it is, examples and how to give it

The understanding of human emotions is taking on a new value and is changing people's lives. The expression of emotions such as fear, happiness, anger, sadness, and others, has been, and sometimes still is, confined to moments of intimacy or therapy. Emotional health allows us, in fact, to manage our frustrations, our contrasts, everything that affects us emotionally.

When it comes to going through particularly fragrant moments in our lives, we often tend to forget that these negative emotions and feelings are experienced in a very different way if we have the support of the the rest. In this Psychology-Online article, we will see what what emotional support is, some examples of it, and some helpful suggestions on how to give it.

Index

1. What is emotional support
2. Why is emotional support important?
3. How to give emotional support

Emotional support means that ability to care, listening empathically and actively to the other

1. Tips and information.
2. Concrete and tangible help.
3. Emotional support (presence, listening, guarantees and confirmation).

This need exists from birth: at the beginning, it is precisely the figures of care that provide our emotional support, and only later this role is also sought in other people, such as the partner and friends. If this need has not been adequately met during childhood, adults will have more difficulties in recognizing and managing the emotions of others and, therefore, in giving and receiving support emotional.

Emotional support does not necessarily consist of words to say, often this need can be met through a hug or gesture.

Feel the presence of the other And your genuine support can help regulate some emotions that the person may feel overwhelmed by. Sharing therefore becomes an important means of manage and validate anger, sadness, fear, but also joy. This mechanism helps to create a stronger and more secure link.

Anyone can experience moments when one feels insecure and unable to handle one's emotions, feeling inadequate, or unprepared to make important decisions. The important thing is to gain the confidence to get out of these situations and to tackle problems with awareness and efficiency. Sometimes, however, it is not easy to find the resources on your own to change our approach, in these cases the support of an exterior can help us to see more clearly the solutions that must be implemented to recover the serenity.

Knowing how to give emotional support is not easy, and it is easy to make big mistakes. Here are some helpful tips on how to give it:

1. Choose the correct context. You want to make sure that those who need your support feel comfortable trusting their problem. If possible, then choose an empty room and a time that is not transitory. But even a corner away from prying eyes is enough, just ensuring privacy. Much better if it is a place with few distractions and where communication is easy.
2. make questions. You can ask the other person what happened or how you feel, and the essential thing is to guarantee your listening. The other person needs to understand that you are really interested in what they have to say and that you really want to support them.
3. Actively listen. Watch the other person as they talk to you and pay your attention, as this will make them feel more important. Therefore, practice active listening, and make this moment a personal and symmetrical interaction, in which one person expresses himself and the other supports her trying to understand how she feels. For example: maintaining eye contact, commenting without interrupting abruptly, summarizing the information provided by the other, etc.
4. Reframe what they tell you. Empathy is an essential element to help others feel supported, and to identify with your interlocutor, you have to clearly understand what he is trying to communicate. You will have less doubts about her point of view if you take note of what she says and reflect on her speech; this way the other person will feel your support and understanding. In this article we explain How to practice empathy.
5. Imagine how they feel. Try to understand the true state of mind of the other while she is talking to you. If you help the person you face to identify what she is really experiencing, you will allow her to recognize and accept her feelings. To do this, use words of emotional support.
6. Be understanding. You must put aside any thoughts or prejudices about the situation: be present and pay attention to what the other person is saying. Your job is not to solve her problems or find a solution, but to think about offering safe ground where she feels heard and understood.
7. Be reassuring. It is important that the other person does not have difficulty expressing his or her feelings. Therefore, this is not the time to criticize him or the situation she is in, because your goal is to communicate support and understanding.
8. Ask what they plan to do. If the person believes that she needs emotional support, something is probably wrong in her life. This is a great opportunity to help her understand what steps you can take to restore her emotional balance. This is another one of the important tips on how to offer emotional support.
9. Identify concrete measures. Your interlocutor will probably not be able to answer you right now, and you will have to help him solve her problem gradually. Therefore, it is important to find the next step, even if it is trivial.
10. Show your support. In addition to the beautiful words, you must also show your emotional support concretely, without abandoning it. Once you listen to the other person, you will surely have a better idea of ​​what you can do to help them feel more protected.

In the following article, you can see words of encouragement in difficult times.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Emotional support: what it is, examples and how to give it, we recommend that you enter our category of Emotions.

• Mascia, D. (2009). The organization of the retreat in sanità. Theory, method and structure of social network analysis. Milan: Franco Angeli.
• Torricelli, C. (2020). Il sostegno emotivo nella coppia. Recovered from: http://www.amaepsicologiassociati.it/2020/02/06/il-sostegno-emotivo-nella-coppia/