How to Build a Strong Support System

Facing a difficult health journey can make you feel vulnerable and isolated. From injury recovery to cancer treatment, it can be challenging to focus on healing if you don’t have a solid support system around you.

A support system can be a group of people who provide resources, help you accomplish tasks or simply offer you compassion. This group can be made up of family members, close friends or even acquaintances.

If you don’t currently have a support system, there are ways you can build one. Here, you’ll find some simple ideas to create a network of people who can help support your healing journey.

Join Support Groups

Support groups are all about sharing common experiences with others. From caregiver support groups to cancer support groups, they offer a safe environment to express your feelings, receive guidance and feel less alone.

You may receive encouragement, advice, resources and other forms of support in a group setting. Support groups can also reduce stress and give you an opportunity to help others and gain insight into your own thoughts and feelings as you work on healing.

Sometimes support groups are professionally led, while others are organized by a group of peers. Either way, a support group can help you cope with whatever health issues you’re facing while connecting you with people who have faced something similar.

Find Guidance Through Faith & Meditation

During a challenging health journey, many people find support systems in faith-based communities. These may include your local place of worship or a prayer circle. If you don’t belong to a faith-based community, you may find support in an online meditation group.

It can be inspiring and motivating to share your faith with others and receive their messages of empathy, understanding and compassion. By connecting with like-minded individuals in a spiritual setting, you may receive a renewed sense of strength and hope.

“For us, we already had a good support system through our church community even before the health crisis.”

Tim C.

Connect With People Who Have Shared Interests & Hobbies

When building a support system, we may only think of sharing our struggles with others. But a support system can also be found by sharing interests and hobbies that bring us joy.

As social creatures, we tend to appreciate anyone who feels just as enthusiastic as we do about a topic of interest. This enthusiasm can set a strong foundation for bonding, trust and communication between others.

Connecting with people over a favorite activity can also be energizing. If you’re feeling weighed down by emotional burdens, a hobby-focused group can give you a break from life’s challenges and lift your spirits.

To find an interest-based group in your area, you can try perusing Meetup. This online platform helps people with shared interests connect online and in-person in group settings. You may also want to check out your local library or cafe, as many groups post flyers about upcoming gatherings, classes and events on bulletin boards.

“My husband and I were Gold Wingers for years. Our GW family became my support system 4.5 years ago and are still with me today.”

Kathy W.S.

Connect With Long Distance Friends & Family Online

Even when they can’t physically be with us in person to help us heal, technology has made connecting with long-distance loved ones easier. From playing online games together to video chatting to social media, you can find a wealth of support by connecting with people you know through online platforms.

One simple way to connect online is to start a CaringBridge page. On this free, protected platform, you can do the following all in one place:

• Communicate with loved ones by posting updates, thoughts and photos via the Journal feature
• Receive messages and comments of encouragement and support
• Organize and schedule help with tasks and errands using the Planner feature
• Receive donations or organize a meal train

“CaringBridge was a great way to stay in touch with friends living elsewhere, former coworkers, and our church family. As friends traveled, they could follow my progress from wherever they were. The constant flow of messages was so encouraging to me and my husband.”

Maribeth E.

“CaringBridge was so helpful for getting information out — friends could get updates directly from us (not third or fourth hand), and could access it at their convenience (as we were in a different time zone here in Asia). I loved that people could check our daily updates as frequently as they wanted. CaringBridge allowed us to keep in touch with our “regular” support system while also developing a different kind of support at the hospital.”

Tim. C.

Form a Care Team

When you’re facing a long-term health journey, there can be an overwhelming number of things to do and decisions to make. That’s why you may want to consider putting together a core care team. This is a small group of trusted loved ones who can help your needs get met.

From running errands to coordinating support, forming a care team can help release you from some of life’s responsibilities so you can focus on healing. You may even want a few people as your resident listeners and advisors when you need to talk things through and make decisions.

Accept Help & Support

Many people feel uncomfortable reaching out for and accepting support, and that’s okay. It’s quite common to struggle with receiving help, especially when you’re feeling more vulnerable due to health issues.

Whether you’re currently having difficulty accepting help or not, always know you’re worthy of people’s support. You may feel like a burden sometimes, but you’re actually giving others an opportunity to show how much they love and care about you. Accepting help can be just as much a gift for them as it is for you.

Also keep in mind that sometimes receiving support takes practice, particularly if you’re not used to it. Give yourself time to become used to it. You can even start small and accept a simple gesture, such as a supportive conversation with a friend. Go at your own pace as you open your heart to receiving.

How Did You Build Your Community?

Building a community isn’t just about receiving support. It can be a wonderful way to bond with others, experience a sense of belonging and live a fulfilling life. No matter what you’re facing, always remember you’re deserving of empathy, compassion and help.

We sincerely hope you found some inspiration in this list. And thank you to our wonderful CaringBridge community for sharing their insights and ideas with us. If you have your own ideas of how to build a support system, we’d love to hear them. Please share them with us in the comments below!