Relationships

Nurturing positive relationships with the people around you can help massively with your enjoyment of life and your transition back into society. Feeling loved can also help with feelings of self-worth, and getting along with other people can improve your situation in the workplace too. However, it is not always easy.

The following tips may help when forming or nurturing relationships:​

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• Listen effectively.

  • Make an active effort to pay attention to what the other person is saying in a conversation.

  • Try to avoid cutting in when they are midway through speaking.

  • Ask open-ended questions to encourage conversation.

  • Where possible, try to give detailed answers to other people’s questions to show you are making an effort to engage in the conversation.
     

• Learn to give and take feedback.

  • This is often difficult as a natural response to criticism is to be defensive.

  • However, taking on feedback can help you to improve yourself and is a great skill to master. Therefore, try to take a deep breath and listen to what the person has to say, rather than jumping straight to defending yourself.

  • When giving feedback, it often helps to sandwich it between positive comments or compliments.
     

• Make time for other people.

  • Spending quality time together helps develop relationships and shows people that they are an important part of your life.

  • Quality time in person (or over FaceTime) is especially important, as it allows you to build much deeper relationships than those formed simply over message.

Social media is becoming a bigger and bigger part of our daily lives, and it can be a great way to connect with people. However, there are some guidelines that are worth being aware of:

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• Only connect with people that you know

• Do not ever share your personal details online

• Consent is always important. Before sharing an image or information that involves another person, always ask for their permission.

• Be mindful of what you post. Once something is online, anybody can see it and it can be very hard to properly erase it.

  • Employers will be able to see your social media.

  • Be careful not to post anything offensive, as you do not know who will see it.

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Do not be reactive. It can be easy to get into arguments over social media, especially as people feel more emboldened to speak harshly when hidden behind a screen. It is best to avoid situations by simply not reacting, and trying to avoid inciting angst online.