It's OKAY to
reach out

With the daily demands in our lives, we may sometimes feel stressed, worried, or even sad. These emotions are commonly experienced by all of us and we are not alone in facing them. When we feel overwhelmed, we can always reach out.

What it means
to reach out

Connecting with others

Reaching out can mean getting connected to someone we trust. It could be a friend, a loved one, or even a healthcare professional.

When we talk about our thoughts and feelings with someone else, we often realise that we are not alone.

It helps us feel better, and to see things from a different point of view. This is especially helpful when things seem overwhelming.

Seeking out tips for self-care

There may be times when we prefer to manage on our own, and when we do, we could reach out for tips and resources on self-care and coping skills.

If you’d like to do a self-check-in to know when you should reach out for support, read more about these signs.

Supporting others

We also play an important role in supporting others. Pick up conversation tips here that can help us support those around us when they approach us for help.

Through empathy and care, we can support those we care about.

Why is it
important to reach out for support?

There are different ways we can reach out. We can read up on self-care tips, text a loved one, have a chat with a healthcare professional, or lend a helping hand to others.

Whatever method we choose, reaching out for support can help us in the following ways:

It could help us see things differently

When we are going through a tough time, reaching out to someone, or getting new information and knowledge, can give us a different perspective or new insights.

It could help as a source of relief

Reaching out and talking to others can help us relieve pent-up frustrations or worries. Talking to someone we trust can help us sort out our feelings and make us feel better.

It could help us realise that we are not alone

There may be times when our problems could be too much for us to handle on our own. But we are not alone. There are many people around us who can support us.

Sometimes, we just need to reach out in order for them to know how to support us. Feeling a sense of belonging and connectedness to others during difficult times can be a great comfort.

What are the common signs that
we should be reaching out for support?

Managing daily routines and dealing with uncertainty can bring about stress. While some stress is good, too much stress over a prolonged period can be unhealthy. Here are some signs to alert us when to reach out for support:

Overcoming the concerns of reaching out

We may be hesitant about reaching out. Let’s learn how to overcome some of the common concerns that hold us back from seeking the support we need.

Overcoming the concern of judgement

Click to read more

Overcoming the concern of rejection or disappointment

Click to read more

Overcoming the concern of uncertainty

Click to read more

How to reach
out for support?

Learn how we can reach out for support using the tips below.

Build our support system

Stay connected with a group of people we can turn to when we need support. People in our support system could be made up of a close friend, a family member or even a healthcare professional whom we feel comfortable reaching out to.

Choose a good time
and place

This allows us to have uninterrupted conversations in a relaxed environment.

Acknowledge our feelings

We don’t have to talk about every feeling we have but acknowledging our feelings, identifying them and saying why we feel them, is healthy and a good practice.

Accept what we don’t know

It is alright not to know the reason of how we came to feel a certain way. We can try to express this to the person we’re talking to in this manner instead, e.g. “I feel angry, but I don’t know why.”

Be direct

Be direct about what’s needed from the other person (e.g. a listening ear, instead of suggestions or solutions).

Expect different reactions

Sometimes, the person we’re speaking to may not respond in a manner we expect. We could try to be more empathetic towards their situation and understand that they may not be in the right headspace or may be unsure of how to provide us with the comfort we need.

Don’t let this be a discouragement from sharing further about what we need. Alternatively, we could choose to reach out to someone else instead.

How to reach out to support those around us?

Support works both ways. At times, we may need the support of others. At other times, the roles may
switch, and we may become someone else’s pillar of support instead. It is, therefore, important for us to
also learn how to support the people around us and those we care for.

Reaching out to support others
need not be a daunting task

Helping someone need not be a daunting task. There are simple things that we can say or do to help them feel better.

Here are some key tips:

Check in on someone if we feel something is not quite right, e.g. do they seem moody, worried or withdrawn?
Ask ourselves if we are ready or in the right mind space to provide them the support they need.
During the conversation, provide them with a listening ear. This means holding back on giving advice and solutions. Instead, give them the space to express how they feel.

Be empathetic – we could try to refrain from imposing our views on what they should do, as it may make them feel unvalued and misunderstood. Instead of saying “If I were you, I would do this…”, try saying “I understand this must be tough on you…”
Remember to stay in touch and check in on them, to try to understand what kind of help they need.

For more tips, check out Hi #JustCheckingIn to help us navigate these conversations with empathy and care.

Types of mental
health professionals

There are different types of mental health care professionals who can help when someone needs mental health support.

Counsellors

They help clients develop skills, guide them on how to access resources and tap on support services for multifaceted issues. If needed, they will also talk to family members or caregivers to better support the clients.

A counsellor may also plan and implement assistance programmes for their clients.

Clinical psychologists

They provide psychological assessments and diagnoses for various mental health conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety, etc.). They can also treat the conditions with various psychological interventions, which can include talk therapies.

They provide a safe space for patients to effectively address the mental health conditions they are currently facing. Guidance and coping skills are also offered and taught to help the patient.

A clinical psychologist may make a referral to a psychiatrist if he/she deems that medical treatment is needed.

Psychiatrists

Similar to clinical psychologists, psychiatrists are also mental health specialists who diagnose mental health conditions and manage treatment.

However, a key difference is that psychiatrists can prescribe medication as they are medical doctors, while clinical psychologists cannot.

Psychiatrists may also make referrals to a psychologist for psychological interventions.

Seek mental health resources & services

Not sure where to seek support?
Trying the tool below can help us find suitable support for our needs.

Start Now

MindSG

It's OKAY to
reach out