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In any gathering, there is always that one person who seems to be the strongest among them. This person is generally called “the strong friend” and is pictured as someone with remarkable resilience and dependability. They are people we go to when we have a problem because they almost have infinite intelligence and courage. But what many do not realize here is that the strength of a friend can also be a mask – a mask covering their struggles and fears. In this article, we will explore why you should check on your strong friends.
Indeed, strong friends within social networks play a very significant role. They act as confidants, cheerleaders or even the voices of reason for other people undergoing difficulties. It is easy for one such friend to think that they are invincible, but this does not capture an essential aspect about human beings; everybody has their battles in this world despite how tough they might appear. Understanding that even the most resilient people suffer from mental health problems goes beyond empathy—it’s crucial for community formation.
Mental health issues do not discriminate; they affect anyone, including those expected to be the toughest among us. Beneath calm exteriors could lie anxiety, depression or other psychiatric illnesses. Checking on friends reminds them of your care, acknowledgment and presence in their lives. It means realizing that even the mighty often need a hand to hold in some situations.
To reach out to someone doesn’t take much; simply sending them a text or saying “How’re you doing really?” would suffice. Therefore, it may seem insignificant, but it has a huge impact since it eliminates feelings of loneliness and strengthens bonds of friendship.
Ultimately, checking in solves two things: it aids those struggling and builds stronger connections between us all. When we learn about hidden struggles among our strong friends, we create an environment where each person feels comfortable enough to open up about their innermost thoughts and emotions. That is what true resilient friendships are made of.
The Mask of Strong Friends

In our social media platforms, there is often an unnoticed yet important role—the “strong friend.” Such a figure is taken to represent resilience and dependability. However, beneath this façade of strength, there usually lies a hidden reality; the strong friend can also have their own battles.
Understanding Your Strong Friend
The “strong friend” concept is based on someone who can always be counted on, never wavers in times of crisis, and thus becomes a source of strength for others. On the other hand, it would lead to concealing personal challenges, albeit with empowering implications. Indeed, mental toughness and resilience are crucial, especially during difficult moments that enable focus amidst distraction and recovery from setbacks. Nonetheless, maintaining this charade could deter them from ever seeking help since admitting to imperfections might contradict their well-established persona.
The emotional cost of being perceived as reliable and tough is high. In most cases, the strong friend feels that they have to maintain a position of invincibility, which only leads to internalization rather than an expression of stress through unhealthy means.
And so, the needs of the person bearing this mantle often go unnoticed. Sometimes, friends with such a role may prefer not to influence others or appear weak by talking about their mental health condition. However, having many friends can make one very isolated in their illness.
The “Strong Friend”: Behind The Mask

The “strong friend” is not an indestructible superhero; they are as human as anyone else. In supporting these unbreakable people, it is important to understand why they act in such a way. Resilience does not come naturally but is built through practice and reflection as emphasized by positive psychology research. According to WHO, there has been a 13% rise in mental health issues worldwide. It calls us to recognize the emotional burden placed on individuals seen by others as reliable, so much so that they extend themselves selflessly toward supporting others.
Unseen Battles: Mental Health Stigma
Peeling back layers of mental health reveals a complicated picture where stigma often looms large. This stigma can have especially devastating effects when it comes to mental illness. The attitudes of society are not just opinions; these beliefs have real-life consequences for individuals grappling with mental health challenges. The mental health crisis is a difficult problem to deal with, and until society can change to let more people talk openly about their struggles, people will not feel strong outside their safe spaces.
Examining Societal Attitudes Toward Mental Health
Most societies operate under unwritten rules that forbid open discussions on mental illnesses. Consequently, this enhances the lack of knowledge and misunderstanding of mental health problems. HealthyPlace indicates that individuals with internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety may face higher risks of withdrawal and isolation, which negatively impacts their self-perception or even competence to achieve goals (HealthyPlace). By doing so, they discourage people from looking for the necessary help.
The Impact of Stigma on Seeking Support
The fear of labeling and judgment can hinder someone from seeking help. Medical assistance can be sought based on personality traits, too. According to Verywell Mind, high neuroticism levels may result in weak social support. However, when society sees these mental conditions through its stigma lens, it could both stop people from getting the necessary help and thereby make things worse.
How Stigma Exacerbates the Struggles of “Strong” Friends
The mental health stigma puts a lot of pressure on people who are seen as having “strong” friends, the ones known for their resilience and reliability. To them, adding this stigma means they suffer silently among themselves because they feel that they can never portray any weaknesses due to being termed “the strong one.” They can aggravate their suffering by saying nothing due to personality disorders or mental illnesses, which affect how one deals with life and emotions.
Check on Your Strong Friends: The Power in It

One thing we often overlook is checking in – the thread connecting humans. We previously explored the meaning behind mental health stigma, shedding light on why someone would call you strong, among other issues. Let us delve into the significance of regularly checking-in for better mental health.
Why Regular Check-Ins for Mental Well-Being?
We might think our friends who always seem indestructible remain like that forever. Nonetheless, looks may be deceptive; this is why even those seemingly perfect around us always need to be checked in on. Check-ins are beyond ‘how are you?’ since it is a time when one feels empathy towards each other, felt and understood. Even just asking a person about what they have been up to recently can be enough to show them that someone cares, which is huge. This can be invaluable for those struggling silently, reinforcing their sense of self-worth and belonging.
How Caring Questions Foster Belonging and Worth
The power of a caring question cannot be overestimated. Perhaps it could provide the only ray of hope in moments when they feel so alone or unloved by others. Mental Health Foundation data shows that supporting others gives them a sense of group membership and reduces isolation among the suffered. By inquiring about real personal issues like “What has occupied most of your thoughts lately?” or “How would you describe your week in 3 adjectives?”, we show regard for others’ well-being, thus encouraging them to talk more about themselves.
To avoid getting vague answers, one should ask more specific questions as advised. Therefore, this keenness not only helps but also keeps people from pretending they are ‘fine’ or ‘good.’
The Bigger Picture of Checking In
Beyond mere ‘touching base,’ check-ins are part and parcel of emotional health (Jesse). These may be moments of change in difficult times where someone finds themselves at a crossroads, such as a casual coffee catch-up or scheduled call. A strong support system is one of the most important things to establish for our overall well-being as the School of Social Work, University at Buffalo insists. This is crucial to this kind of system, which is being ready to reach out and check-in.
Significance of Checking-In
One thing that has been apparent as we continue looking into the mental health landscape and providing care is how vital checking in can be. It may seem least effective, but care given to those who appear to need it less could make all the difference. In fact, not only do we strengthen our relational bonds with them, but we also contribute to their emotional well-being by showing intent and sensitivity when dealing with friends, especially “strong” ones.
The Importance of Mutual Support

Mutual supportive relationships are very important among people for personal development purposes. They assure us of safety because we know that we have someone who will always stand for us irrespective of the situation we are in. Relationships like these can help mitigate stress, raise self-esteem as well as enhance one’s mental well-being at large.
Healthy Communication Practices
Communication has been identified as one of the most important pillars of any healthy relationship. Healthy communication patterns involve having open discussions amongst friends such that no topic should be considered off-limits during the conversation. These are the kinds of patterns that allow us to express ourselves without feeling scared about being criticized for what we say or how we feel. Healthy communication also involves active listening—giving your full attention to what the other person is saying and responding thoughtfully. This nurtures genuine concern towards one another through two-way communication.
Authenticity about personal struggles will always make a difference in any friendship group setting. In many instances, when friends start to show their vulnerabilities, the walls that isolate mental health issues break down. We can quickly relieve the burden of consistently being strong by allowing one another to be vulnerable.
Besides, clear communication prevents misunderstandings and conflicts that might contribute unknowingly to a person’s emotional burden. A healthy dynamic is maintained through setting boundaries, stating wants and respecting differences among each other. Addressing conflicts directly and constructively will also enhance trust and connection between friends when they occur.
Conclusion/Call To Action
Strength differs from one person or culture to another, as we discussed in this class today. In our blog post, we tried to explain what vulnerability means as part of strength and why you should check on your strong friends from time to time.
Everyone needs an outlet and safe space to open up, no matter how strong they might seem. When you check on your strong friends, you allow them the opportunity to let out their feelings and speak freely, which could encourage self-care and reduce depression.
Last Updated on by Arsh