Boyfriend makes affirmation jar to help partner's anxiety and depression

'I’m hoping that this will help her even a little'

By creating an 'affirmation jar' he hopes to offer his girlfriend the emotional support she needs

Being in a relationship with someone that struggles with mental health issues can be difficult. Often people with anxiety and depression don’t understand just how loved they are and can be afraid to ask significant others for help, since they don’t want to become a burden.

As such, it can be hard to know what to do for the best but one guy has seemingly nailed it.

Taking to Reddit, a concerned boyfriend shared an image of a pot which contains lolly sticks of various colours, a concept which has become known as an ‘affirmation jar.’

Hoping to offer his girlfriend, who battles anxiety and depression, emotional support, the idea is that each time she removes a stick, she will be reminded just how much he cares about her.

“My girlfriend suffers from, at times, crippling depression and anxiety. I saw this idea somewhere online and decided to make her something like it,” he wrote.

Divided into different categories, each one is colour-coded depending on the type of encouragement his girlfriend requires.

The yellow sticks include positive words like “you’re beautiful” and “it’s okay to ask for help”; the purple ones are tips on how to relax; orange sticks deliver inspiring quotes and the blank ones are there so she can record moments when she feels happiest.

While he doesn’t know if the jar will help, he says he wanted to try and do something for her so that would know he cares. And, for someone who struggles with mental illness that can mean the world.

“She sometimes gets so caught in what she’s doing, she becomes overwhelmed and doesn’t even realise it. I’m hoping that this will help her even a little.”

Unsuprisingly, people loved the idea and proceeded to leave a succession of positive comments to the boyfriend.

“That is really beautiful, a lovely model to follow! I hope (and trust) that it helps with such a frustrating and mysterious condition,” one person wrote.

Another added, “As someone suffering too, I want you to know what you're doing could potentially be life saving, thank you for deciding to help her instead of treat her like a burden. I'm glad to know I live in a world with people like you.”

Despite the reaction, the guy who posted the image doesn’t think he’s doing anything out of the ordinary.

“She’s very special to me… [the] least I can do is try to help. I’m sure there are plenty of guys like me around. Our relationship has been the most challenging of my life but also the most enjoyable,” he explained.