why do people get offered water after a traumatic event? Or when in distress?
In: Other
Basically it’s more than anything else about showing support in a tangible way. When we see someone in distress we want to help, but theres often no immediate way we can help fix things. But we can almost always get someone some water. It helps fufull our own need to do something when someone we care about is upset, and it also shows that person that we care. It feels better to get someone a glass of water than to stand there doing nothing.
Fortunately it actually can help. It’s grounding, in that it gives them something to focus on in that moment aside from their own distress, and that can actually help stop them from spiralling into more and more negative thoughts. Additionally dehydration can make anxiety and distress worse, and if someone has just been through something awful it often means they haven’t been drinking water regularly, so getting them hydrated can remove dehydration as a compounding factor.
No-one sensible expects water to magically end a panic attack or fix someone’s grief or trauma. But it’s just something we all know how to do that can help, and that definitely isn’t going to make things worse – so it’s often a standard first step. Most people don’t even really think about why they are doing it, it’s sort of just a default response.
Latest Answers