From Your CRIT Counselor: Seeking and Giving Help

Sometimes, we face challenging situations that are out of our control. We may be in an accident, our car won’t start, or we misplace our keys. Maybe it is an illness we or a loved one faces. These events may happen while we are at home or out and about. In any case, we may need to seek help. 

While we are fortunate to have the technology to reach out through our phones or tablets, what if that is part of the issue? We have no power, our internet connection is out, or we do not have them with us. What do we do then? How do we reach out for assistance? With the uncertainty of our current environment, we may be cautious when seeking and giving help. 

I recently found myself in a situation needing the assistance of strangers. I encountered three types of people with different behaviors. One completely ignored me, another provided some help but wanted to avoid getting too involved, and the third facilitated the opportunity to get me out of my bind.

Each person acted based on their beliefs, thoughts, and experiences. When faced with the opportunity to assist someone, our beliefs, thoughts, and experiences may affect how we respond. Our motivation to assist someone may depend on many factors while hoping someone will help us when needed. What leads you to help and get involved? What holds you back?