There’s parts about our popular, modern culture which are often overlooked when we discuss helping someone else. We opt for more clinically sound, evidence-based forms of helping like distraction, encouragement, reminding, and helping someone breathe. What we forget to take into consideration are the nuances of mainstream internet culture which can actually be quite calming and even inspire a laugh. The next time you’re in a position to support someone experiencing anxiety, high amounts of stress, or another form of panic, try some of these approaches.
MAKE IT RAIN CATS AND DOGS
There’s little arguing with the cuteness of animals, especially cats and dogs. Thankfully, the internet is full of celebrations of animals of all ages and kinds. When someone needs a reminder of all that is good in the world, there are few truths as honest as a fluffy puppy, a little kitten, or a baby animal of some other kind. Send GIF’s, moving images, memes, photos, and video montages. You might not know what to say or how to be the best support- but you’ve got the internet and the internet has a lot of animal pictures.
LET THEM KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY MEME
While you may not feel like you have the best response to what someone is going through, you can be guaranteed someone on the internet has recorded the exact facial expression on someone else who does. Memes are a popular part of internet media that use a popular image with text that creates new context for the image. Memes seem to be a way for people to express what might not be otherwise expressible, but easiest to relate to from other people. In psychology, a meme is something that is passed on from one individual to another through imitation, rather than something genetic. Memes are the new way of saying “I get it” by exchanging an imitation of “it” represented through a meme.
#NOWPLAYING ON SPOTIFY
Spotify, Youtube, and other streaming sources are open encyclopedias for songs and videos. On Spotify, you can choose a mood or a genre and find the perfect song to help get someone through. Through Youtube you can find songs, videos, inspirational talks, or pieces of comedy to help lighten the mood. Lyrics, sounds, narratives, and entertainment are all healthy distractions. Music can serve as music therapy which is gaining scientific recognition for being an effective way to manage stress and heal.
Enlightened Recovery brings together traditional treatment with modern and holistic treatment to provide an integrative approach to healing mind, body, and spirit. Offering hope through laughter, spiritual exploration, and calming environments, our compassionate therapy helps free the traps of addiction.
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