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What Those with Chronic Pain or Illness DON’T Want to Hear

By Toni Bernhard — 2012

I've written this piece partly because I hope it will make those of us with health difficulties feel less alone and partly because I hope it will help others understand how to communicate with us better. With that in mind, I hope you'll find it helpful. Each of the following comments has been made to me at least once since I became ill in 2001.

Read on www.psychologytoday.com

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Dealing with Grief: Five Things Not to Say and Five Things to Say in a Trauma Involving Children

Religion can help many of us move past grief and make sense of tragedy. But according to Reverend Emily C. Heath, religion can often come off as trite rather than insightful.

Article
Rev. Emily C. Heath
2013
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‘You Look Great’ and Other Lies

Here are six things you should never say to a friend (or relative or colleague) who’s sick. And four things you can always say.

Article
Bruce Feiler
2011
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What Not to Say to Someone Who’s Sick

When it comes to providing emotional support, skip the platitudes. What matters is being honest and human.

Article
NPR
2011
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How Not to Say the Wrong Thing

Susan Silk's "Ring Theory" of "comfort in, dump out" when supporting others going through tough times.

Article
Susan Silk and Barry Goldman
2013
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Do We Have an Instinctive Urge to Be Kind?

When someone needs help, what is your first impulse?

Article
Emiliana Simon-Thomas
2019
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Supporting Survivors of Suicide Loss

Each year, more than 40,000 people die from suicide in the United States, making suicide the 10th-leading cause of death in our nation. Worldwide, more than 800,000 people are lost to suicide annually.

Article
Dana M. Cea
2019
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What You Should Know If You Love Someone with High-Functioning Depression

Everything feels a lot harder when you’re dealing with high-functioning depression ― including relationships.

Article
Lindsay Holmes
2017
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How to Help Someone with an Eating Disorder

If you’re here, it's because you want to better support someone in your life who has an eating disorder—and that's an amazing first step. Very likely, you are feeling worried about your loved one and you are confused about what you should and should not do.

Article
Lauren Muhlheim
2021
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8 Ways to Support Someone Dealing with a Health Crisis

When someone you love falls ill, gets in an accident or receives a scary health diagnosis, it’s never easy. In fact, it may be the hardest thing you’ll ever have to face. Unfortunately, it’s also inevitable that we’ll all deal with this kind of situation in life.

Article
Locke Hughes
2018
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What to Say When a Pet Dies

When a pet dies, it's common for people to feel as though they've lost a member of the family. For children, this is often their first encounter with death.

Article
Annie Stuart
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