A Positive Environment and Listening
Working in healthcare can bring on some negative emotions and experiences, especially after the last two years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. For the friends, family, and significant others of healthcare workers, it is super important to make sure they come home to a positive environment where they have the opportunity to relax and take a breather from work. For example, the number one thing that you can do to support a healthcare worker is to listen. Listening to talk about their day, and how they feel is the healthiest way to release any negative emotions. For the healthcare worker, it allows them to talk about their feelings and for the listener to empathize with their experiences at work.
Give Them A Hug
Sometimes all somebody needs is a hug after a bad day. It may sound silly, but hugs are super beneficial for people that can help reduce anxiety and provide a lot of comfort. In an article published by MedicineNet, titled ‘How Do Hugs Make You Feel?’ giving somebody or receiving a hug can be beneficial in many ways. Hugs can make someone feel a level of safety, improve self-esteem, and reduce pain. There are also some scientific benefits linked to hugging someone, like how hugs make your body release dopamine (the chemical in your body that improves your mood) and oxytocin (a hormone that reduces stress and anxiety). So next time a healthcare worker comes home after a long stressful day, hug them.
Just The Little Things Count
Another thing that the friends, family, and significant others of healthcare workers can do is assist them with little things in their day-to-day lives. For example, if you’re the significant other of a healthcare worker, having them come home to a warm meal after a long and potentially late-night shift shows a level of empathy and care that can make them feel better after a stressful day. Another little thing would be taking ten to fifteen minutes to do a quick clean or take care of things that they often stress about for them. Doing something small can greatly improve their mood and show that you care for them. If you’re a friend or family member, give them a call every once and a while to see how they’re doing or even spend some time with them. That way you can help them build that positive support system that they can rely on when they need them.
These are just some of the things I know the friends, family members, and significant others of healthcare workers do for them to create a positive environment for them. Being a healthcare worker is not easy, they deal with a lot of negative emotions regularly. That’s why it is super important for them to have a positive support system to comfort them. Healthcare workers care so much for people and demonstrate a level of selflessness that should never go overlooked. Care for them, as they care for us.
Sources:
https://www.medicinenet.com/how_do_hugs_make_you_feel/article.htm
