How To Be There for Those Who Need You, As an Introvert

4 ways to engage with people who need to vent or need comfort

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

It’s nowhere near easy to pull people up when they are feeling down. Even if you are good at this, sometimes it makes you wonder, “Should I have brought them back up or should I have just let them feel how they needed to in the moment?”. As an introvert, this can be even more of a battle as you as not as used to external interactions, as you are often so internally focused, and may be out of practice.

I’ve always battled with this. While I do study a lot about the human psyche, have had many experiences over the years with this, and generally try to learn from the teaching and advice of those around me, it's still hard. Often people come to me seeking comfort and I feel like a deer in headlights.

• Do I sit in silence and let them feel how they need to feel? And if so, will they be upset at my silence?
• Do I comfort them and try to make them feel better? Can I pull that off? And if so, am I encouraging them to just “get over it”?
• Do I offer solutions at the risk of coming off as unemotional and a know-it-all?

If you're anything like me these and more, have run through your head countless times. And yet somehow we pull it off…