Learning how to ask for and accept help is a necessary life skill. However, it can be difficult for many to do. Several reasons may make someone less likely to accept help. They may fear the stigma that comes from needing help, especially if it is for a mental health disorder or addiction. There is a societal push for people to be self-sufficient, so they may feel deep shame in needing to accept help. Others may not know how to accept help because they were falsely taught that they don’t deserve it.
The truth is that everyone deserves help, no matter who they are or where they come from. Addiction treatment facilities like Painted Desert Recovery work to make seeking help for addiction a smooth and easy process. But despite making the process more accessible, it doesn’t do much unless a person can accept help. Luckily, there are ways to “train” yourself to accept help. It takes time, dedication, and support, but anyone can eventually learn to accept the help they need.
Tip #1: Recognize That You Deserve to Accept Help
As mentioned before, everyone deserves to be helped. Humans are social creatures. We have to work together to ensure our survival as a people. Altruism evolved as a necessary survival trait, as not helping each other could lead to severe consequences for both the individual and the group. Today, with so many people and modern amenities, it’s easy to forget just how important helping each other is.
It’s also important to help yourself. A good tip when you are struggling is to take time every day to look at yourself in the mirror. Tell that person (yourself), that you deserve help and you are not weak or bad for needing it. It’s easy to ignore when you need help, but it’s harder to do so when you have to look yourself in the eye.
Tip #2: Put Yourself in Your Loved One’s Shoes
It’s possible to aid yourself in accepting help by utilizing this thought exercise.
Imagine that you are a person with a loved one in dire need of help. You have access to resources that could help them, but they keep refusing to accept it. How would that make you feel? Most likely, not very good. It hurts us when the people we love are struggling, but will not accept help. Now imagine what you would say to that loved one to encourage them to accept help. Once you have those words, tell them to yourself. Of course, it’s helpful to confide in loved ones when you need comfort, but sometimes you need a bit of self-reflection to put you on track.
Tip #3: Learn to Accept Help by Starting Small
Sometimes a person can acclimate themselves to the idea of accepting help by easing themselves in slowly. You can start by requesting small bits of help here and there. For example, you can ask someone to hold a door open or to tell you what the time is. Once you get used to that, you can request larger forms of help, like helping you carry heavy groceries inside or unloading the dishwasher. This gets you used to the idea that you deserve help and it’s okay to accept it. Over time, you will be able to accept help without guilt, shame, or feeling like a burden.
Tip #4: Use Professional Help and Resources to Reduce Fear
One of the things that prevent people from getting and accepting help is fear. It’s especially true for serious issues, such as addiction. People may be afraid that they will be mocked or belittled if they ask for help. Thankfully, addiction treatment facilities are judgment-free zones. Places like Painted Desert Recovery employ compassionate mental health care professionals who will encourage you to seek and accept help. Contacting professionals gives you the peace of mind that the information you ask for will be factual and safe. Knowing that you have nothing to be scared of can help a fearful person accept the help they need.
Tip #5: Help Others to Teach Yourself to Accept Help
Sometimes the best way to learn how to accept help is to offer help to others. You can start by volunteering in a way that makes you most comfortable. Many start by volunteering for activities that don’t require a lot of social interaction, such as walking dogs for an animal shelter or cleaning up a beach.
Eventually, a person may gain enough confidence to volunteer to do more social activities, such as helping give out food at a food bank or creating flyers for a fundraiser. Some prefer to help on a small and more intimate level, and that is also valid. Cooking a meal for a neighbor who is undergoing a tough time does just as much good as any grand and public gesture. Once you have taken the time to volunteer and help others, it’s time to reflect. Ask yourself, “What did these people do to deserve my help?” The answer, of course, is nothing. They got help because needed it and accepted it. So why deny yourself the same?
In the end, only you can accept help or not. Learning to accept help doesn’t just mean seeking treatment. It’s also accepting that you can overcome your addiction too. Too often, we become trapped in a bad situation and consider it our new normal. Facing these situations is hard and scary, but it is less so when you accept help. It’s time to stop being so hard on yourself and be kind instead. You don’t just owe it to yourself, you also owe it to the people who love and believe in you.
It’s hard to admit when you need help. Even harder is accepting the help you need. However, in order to achieve and stay in recovery, a person has to learn how to do both. Thankfully, there is a safe place where someone can get the quality and compassionate treatment they need to recover from addiction. At Painted Desert Recovery in New Harmony, Utah, clients learn that they deserve to receive the help they need. Along with the aid of qualified mental health care professionals, clients become more confident and secure in themselves. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, don’t wait to seek help. Take the first step by calling (844) 540-0353 today.
