Reaching Out

From the book I Will Not Be Broken by Jerry White.

Humans are social in nature and can’t survive without communication and socializing with others. Some people isolate themselves and retreat into a shell after being exposed to trauma thinking that they are protecting themselves. Reaching out to others and finding people who can understand what you are going through is essential. Surprisingly strangers that we don’t know can be of great help and support to us while people we are close to may disappoint us. There will always be people who are willing to help and support us and they are always there when we need them.

The writer benefited a lot from social support while he was in the hospital in Israel after stepping on a landmine. This accident led him to lose one of his legs; he said “with so many people coming and going, it was clear that social support-a primary integrant for overcoming crises-was not missing from my life”. Most survivors’ testimonies that the writer interviewed were “I would never have made it through without my family. They saved me during the darkest moments. I am closer to my family now, after my accident, than before”.

At the time of crises most people need support and it’s part of the survival process. Some reach to family and friends while others reach out to god praying and asking him, we need someone, anyone out there to understand what we are going through.

Successful survivors are those who reach out and communicate with family, relatives, friends and support groups in order to get over the loneliness and isolation that accompany the tragedy. It is amazing that many times the inspiration of another survivor, a family member’s help, a new relationship or a prayer is all that is needed to make a great change in the survivor’s life. You have to be willing to reach out even if you don’t want to because the results will be surprising and one day other survivors will reach out to you for help and support.