Sometimes the pain feels too deep to be shared. When you lose your home, your health, your status, or someone you love – a part of yourself – it can feel like the world will never be the same again. In moments like these, it’s easy to withdraw, to go silent, to hide the tears.

But pain doesn’t vanish just because we keep it hidden. Being alone with it is hard. Showing it to someone else feels scary – even dangerous.

When I invite someone to a support group, I often hear:

“It won’t help me.”
“Nothing can help.”
“How could talking possibly change anything?”
“I’ll manage on my own.”
“I’ll talk to a friend… my mom… my brother.”

That’s how we were raised – to ask for help is to show weakness, to admit defeat, to expose vulnerability.

But asking is also truth. It’s the truth of needing help. The truth of being lost. The truth of facing the unknown.

Support groups aren’t just “talking to strangers.” They’re spaces where others bring their own stories – of grief, of fear, of fighting, of hope. People who know what sleepless nights feel like. Who’ve faced the same emptiness, the same dread of tomorrow. People who are still in it – or have found their way through.

It’s not about weakness. It’s about courage – to show up and simply be. To be heard. To sit beside someone who won’t tell you to “stay strong,” won’t ask you to smile – but will stay, quietly or with words shaped by their own pain and strength.

Everyone has the right to support. The right to speak – or stay silent – in a circle without judgment. A place where one person’s experience becomes another’s anchor. A place to slowly relearn how to live — not despite the pain, but with it.

You are human. And like every human being, you deserve support, understanding, and a space where you are accepted without conditions. But taking that first step can feel terrifying – especially toward a group.

You may be thinking: “Why should I talk about my feelings?”
“What if no one understands?”

Here’s the truth: a group is not a crowd. It’s a space where every person walks their own path. And yet, you’ll hear familiar stories, shared emotions, and the same hard questions. Gradually, you begin to feel – I’m not alone. There are others who understand. That is the strength of the group.

You choose when to speak, how much to share. Others will listen. And slowly, you might be surprised to discover how the honesty and compassion of others help you better understand yourself.

Support groups are a chance to heal – not only through words, but through connection. Sometimes, one sentence from someone else can move what’s been stuck for years.

Don’t wait for a special invitation. Just try.
Give yourself the chance to see how much good can begin in a space where someone simply says, “I’ve felt that too.”

This material was prepared as part of the Capable and Resistant Program with support from East Europe Foundation and Switzerland.