Letting go to get help
Friends are proud people. They may want to go it alone and ignore or overlook the support available to them. For example, as a Red Cross Case Manager, I have met with clients who found it difficult to accept our financial support. Because of dire circumstances, though, they accepted money for food and clothes. Unfortunately, some felt shame in receiving assistance. Many were firm in stating that they would pay back the funds they received someday through donations to the Red Cross.

Accessing a support network of friends, relatives, agencies, and organizations is an act of intelligence, not dependence. The goal is not to remain under the care of others, but to use them as steps to reorganization. Reaching out for support is advancing, not retreating.