It’s February, which means love is in the air. I wanted to take this time to highlight the 5 love languages. Everyone needs love, and that is not limited to romantic love. For our mental wellbeing, feeling loved can be the most beneficial thing. But often times, people do not fully know how to show others love. While there is no exact science to showing love, understanding the 5 love languages is a start. If you have heard of them before, I hope this helps you a bit more to understand how this knowledge can be related to loving those who struggle with mental illness. On the other hand if you have never heard about the various ways we show and receive love, be sure to keep reading.
Physical Touch
A warm embrace, hand on the shoulder, or a peck on the cheek can make all the difference to some people. The need for physical touch is universal, but some people particularly find they feel reassurance and comfort with simple physical acts.
Gifts
The joy that comes from opening a present is one that everyone can relate to. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but the fact that a person was thinking about another person can truly leave an impact.
Words of Affirmation
Compliments are a girls (and guys) bestfriend. Sincerely praising people boosts their confidence and increases serotonin.
Quality Time
Put the phone down and engage with those around you. Too often people get caught up in their busy lives and forget to cherish the time they have together. It is the little moments that count.
Acts of Service
Help your loved ones without being prompted. Something as simple as driving the road trip for them or unloading the dishwasher can be a tremendous aid. Anything that you can take off another persons plate can be an act of service.
Overall, it is important to keep in mind everyone has a predominant way they want to receive love, and they also have a love language that they naturally use. By knowing this we can adapt our approach from person to person to ensure everyone feels our love. We never know what someone is going through, so we should love others well all the time.