10/16/2020
Wonderful information!
What do you think of when you hear the word "needs"?
For most of us, a few things come to mind right away: food, water, shelter, clothing, warmth. We may have even been taught that if we have these things, all our needs have been met and we should be fine. While these are things we all need in order to survive, did you know that your needs go deeper than that in order to thrive? Abraham Maslow, a psychologist in the mid-1900s, stated that humans actually have 5 different levels of needs, and in order to reach the next level, the levels below have to be met sufficiently. When our needs have not been met, we tend to look to fulfill them in other ways, whether they are healthy or not. This is one area that abusers and those who exploit others may target. They look for the child or individual that has a need, and seek to meet that need, gaining trust and creating a relationship based off the individual "owing" them for meeting that need.
How can you help combat this? Check in with those close to you to make sure their needs are being met. Are they safe, loved, supported, and building self-esteem, or are they unsafe, neglected, without support, and with low self-esteem? How can you help them fill those needs? If you can't fill them, can you help them find someone who can?
