What to Say

ByMike McBride Reading Time: 2 minutes

I saw this advice about what to say to someone who’s currently unemployed on the Manager Tools blog this week, and it reminded me very much of how I felt after I had a fugue episode and was in therapy and on medication.

Paul went on to say that since he left his job, it’s the only thing many people talk about with him. He wants to have a conversation about football, wine or cigars, and it seems that no-one can get past the fact he has lost his job. So if you do know someone who is in a similar position, feel free to discuss last nights X-Factor, the basketball scores or your vacation. He’s still human and still wants to connect with you.

People had a hard time just being around me, feeling like they were supposed to say something, when all I really wanted was for them to talk to me the same way they did before this happened. If I needed to talk about what was going on, how therapy was going, what the issues were, etc., there were people I could do that with. I didn’t need, or want, everyone to do that. I just wanted someone I could watch a game with, or shoot a few hoops with and get away from the therapy work. I was already spending lots of time and energy on that. I needed my friends to simple be there and continue to be my friends like they were before.

Unfortunately, very few people could do that.

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One Comment

  1. I wish for this too. I keep finding myself answering questions about me instead of hearing about life outside of me. Even when I turn the conversation back to the other, maybe it seems like an obligation to be focused on my problem(s). It’s more exhausting for me. The best time I had in ages was just listening to others talk at my SO’s family gathering at Thanksgiving. It was nice to laugh and just hear about everyday life. Thanks for sharing this post.

    Reply

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