The Impact of "How Are You?" on Mental Health & Wellbeing

How many times you ask someone "How are you?"

Image source American Psychiatric Association

This is one of the simple yet important questions we ask anybody who shows empathy towards them. It also might seem like the basic question everybody usually asks in general life, but its absence is noticeable.

Lack of empathy and objectifying relationships to performance can be the result. However, behind this question lies a world that involves putting others and oneself at the centre, not just focusing on what they do or what we want from them.

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The question generates a sense of gratification because it makes one feel accepted and seen by the other person. It also forces one to observe how they feel at that moment, elaborate an emotional response, and face and analyze negative emotions.

The question "How are you?" is rooted in empathy and compassion, which implies total openness towards the other person and sharing positive or negative emotions. It's a two-way questioning that involves both parties.

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Besides asking this question to others, it's essential to ask it to ourselves too. It gives us space and time to care for ourselves, even when it seems like no one else is giving us that time. It requires patience to untangle knots, process how we feel, and figure out what might make us feel better.

Sometimes, responding to this question might be the last thing we want to do. However, choosing not to respond to others is always permissible, but it's worth trying to answer this question to ourselves. It can be the zero question that helps us address the questions that keep us restless and remind us of who we are and what we want, becoming the engine of change.