Dania Hussain - Reasons to Phone a Friend Today Hey guys, I am Dania Hussain and today am telling the reasons to phone a friend. Many people would rather send a text than make a call and it shows. Americans spend, on average, five more minutes per day texting (26 minutes) versus calling (21 minutes), by some estimates.
Here are 3 reasons why you shouldn’t “phone it in” on National Call a Friend Day. 1. You need an Out-of-Town Contact Seize National Call a Friend Day as an opportunity to ask a friend to be your family’s Out-of-Town Contact during an emergency. Peace of mind (the kind earned through pre-planning) can help you stay calm in an emergency. If you and your family are separated during or by a sudden disaster, you will want to know where your loved ones are and if they’re okay and vice versa. An Out-of-Town Contact is someone who lives outside of the immediate area—preferably in another state—that can help family members stay connected when it is easier to make a long-distance phone call than a local one.
Dania Hussain - Reasons to Phone a Friend Today Include the name and contact information, including social media handles, of your Out-of-Town Contact in your family’s Emergency Action Plan. It’s important that you also write down contact information for your physician, pediatrician, pharmacist, caregiver, veterinarian, and others. 2. Conversation is a powerful coping tool Connecting with friends and family through phone calls and video chats is a means of self-care that can help you and your loved ones feel less alone or isolated in stressful situations, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s holiday season may be a difficult and stressful time for many. Being away from family and friends during the winter holidays can be hard. CDC recommends hosting a virtual celebration with friends and family who do not live with you. A virtual meeting might also be a good time to talk about how you and they are feeling. The How Right Now campaign has tips for how to have a meaningful conversation and listen with compassion any time of year. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. The Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7 confidential, free emotional support. If you or someone you know needs emotional support, call or text 1-800-985-5990.