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How To Carefully Approach A Relative You’re Worried For


It’s true that when we’re part of a family, one of the responsibilities we have is looking out for our relatives. Often, love is expressed in small ways, such as making someone a coffee in the morning or cooking for them, as well as telling them to stay safe on the roads when they’re about to drive.

But sometimes, the care we need to apply should be a little more focused and careful. For instance, it might be that your relative seems to be indulging in bad habits, with bad people, or is making mistake after mistake. Perhaps their current partner is doing nothing but denigrating them, and you don’t like how they’re being spoken to. Or, perhaps it seems that your relative seems like less of themselves recently, and you want to make sure they’re doing okay, letting them know that you’re always there should they need you.

This might sound great. But sometimes, it can be hard to start that conversation without coming on a little too strongly. Here’s how you can get started:

Find A Safe, Private Place You Can Talk

Finding a safe, private place you can talk to your relative in will help you take some of the worries out of the event, as throwing a full family meeting might be a bit overwhelming unless the situation calls for it. This way, you can treat them with respect and have your concerns spoken of in confidence. A simple ‘how are you doing? I’m worried that you might be withdrawing lately’ said to someone in private may help them feel more able to be honest and to trust you with their real thoughts, and it will make it easier for you to gauge their true impressions.

Emphasize Your Love & Care

Emphasizing your love and care for the person before you begin can be a great way to show you’re not coming at this approach in a hostile manner, but because you want the best for them. You might call this a mini-disclaimer, or however else you may wish to put it forward, but this can show that you’re totally willing to meet them halfway and to keep this conversation confidential. It also shows that there are no penalties for them opening up in their own time.

Admit Your Concerns And Offer To Help

Admitting your concerns honestly, carefully, and without judgment is the first step. Be very honest but don’t turn this into an intensive or combative lecture. Consider providing solutions instead, or at least, encouraging them to take that step with your support. For instance, you might show them American Addiction Centers reviews, or say that you’ll be happy to attend a medical center with them in pure confidence if they need it. That kind of approach can be a helpful and worthwhile means of moving forward as allies, rather than combative relatives.

With this advice, we hope you can carefully approach a relative you’re worried for.





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