What is comfort? The technical definition of comfort is strengthening aid that gives consolation in time of trouble or worry, with the end result of a feeling of relief or encouragement, but how often is a word referred to its description in a dictionary? Honestly, people hardly ever think of the literal definition of the word; usually, most wo;; define a word based on its synonyms or make up their own meaning based on what the word means to them. Therefore, when you are depressed, or upset, what brings you out of a pit of despair?
In my eyes, there are two types of comforts: long and short term, each having several smaller kinds or comfort branching off from them. I have come to realize that the long-term comfort tend to help a person more than the short-term ones. This is because long-term comforts allow you to completely release all the negative energy pent up inside your body, which results in the feeling of relief. Everyone has his/her own ways to comfort themselves, and everyone’s methods are diverse and unique.
The two main branches of long-term comforts are: receiving comfort from other people and finding comfort within yourself. Many people, including myself, find comfort in being with other people, whether you simply talk to them, cry on their shoulder, vent your frustrations. My personal comfort is to simply cuddle with someone; if I have someone hold me, no matter what is troubling me, I will feel better. This is because when I am being held, I know that this person truly cares for me and wishes me to be happy, and that is the best comforting method in the world for me. The other branch of the long-term comfort tree is to find comfort yourself. For example, crying, thinking, taking a hot shower, eating ice cream, exercising, reading, or listening to music. All of these long-term methods of comfort usually tend to resolve any minor depression, or sadness, a person feels at the time.
I often refer to the short-term comfort methods as the self-mutilation branch. This is because many people often find themselves too upset, or miserable, to get better; instead they opt for the “quick fixes,” or ways to find instantaneous comfort. For example, drinking, drug use, or violence. Through my own experience, the thought of being able to numb yourself from the constant pain of life is very alluring and tempting; being able to simply drink away your troubles is the best feeling in the world, for a moment. What most people do not understand, and what at first I did not fully understand, is that substances, especially alcohol, are depressant. Meaning that, if people drink when they are upset, the alcohol will only amplify their depression. therefore, the process of drinking to try and feel better usually backfires and makes matters worse. Short-term comforts generally do not work in the long run, because, unlike long-term comforts, all of the negative energy is being kept inside and eventually will cause a person to implode.
Comfort is more than a definition out of a dictionary; it is what each individual makes it to be. Comfort is whatever helps a person deal with grief, or depression; it is what gets most people through each day. Comfort is what keeps many people from completely breaking down, or plunging into an endless sea of depression; it is most people’s savior from continuous pain and suffering.
