Support

As much as we'd like to believe that we are completely independent and don't need help from anyone, that's simply not true. Everyone needs someone - to comfort, support, offer advice or just listen.

The best support system anyone can have is family and friends. I am extremely fortunate to have my mother around whenever I need advice or just someone to vent to. Friends will always be there for you, as well, at least in theory. As we get older and move from college into adult life, get married and start families of our own, even the closest friends can graduallty grow apart - no matter how hard we try to keep it from happening.

if this does happen, there are a number of other ways you can find support for whatever you're experiencing. With a little bit of web savvy, you can find an online support group for anything. Careplace.com offers groups and communities that lend its members comfort and support on anything from single parenting to living with chronic pain.

if you prefer the support of people that you can talk to face-to-face, there are plenty of support groups available in every community. Besides the ones that everyone has heard of (AA and NA), there are support groups for any number of things. A close friend of mine attended a grief support group for a time after her husband passed away. i even know of support groups for women who have miscarried and those who've given birth to multiples.

And if you can't find a group to meet your needs, start your own. Who says there needs to be a professional psychiatrist or counselor in charge. I moderated a group for teenagers with disabilities several years ago (and found out how much life had changed for teens with disabilities since I was one).

Whatever your situation or circumstances, a good, solid support system can help in so many ways.