"You can tell when a person has lost hope by the way they speak, the way their body moves and the look in their eyes. When you lose hope your smile won't reach your eyes and you will close in on yourself. When you lose hope you will feel like there's nothing to hold onto, nowhere to turn, your worthless, it's pointless and nothing matters. These ideas creep into your speech and take ahold of your mind. Something as little as saying "I'm stupid" can warn you that your friend or family member is struggling. Sometimes losing hope can lead to self harm, drugs, even suicide. Physical representation of their struggle. In order to help you need to remind them that there's always something to hold onto, there's always a light in the dark. When they are drowning and can't see, when they can't tell which way is up or down. You need to dive in and drag them out and help them breath. Having someone beside you in a time of hopelessness can mean a world of difference. Just knowing that you matter to one person. That this one person sees something in you that even you don't see. That is something to hold onto. You can spread hope by being that person who holds onto the ones teetering on the edge. Talk about all the things you can do together. Everything that they will be able to do if they just hold on a little longer. Remind them that there's always someone there and that there's always a light to look forward to."
By: Zoe Satterla
By: Zoe Satterla