Helping a friend is a hard thing to do, because it's hard to see someone close to you in pain. It is also hard because you may want to help them but maybe you don't know how. The most important thing to remember is that if you have reason to believe that your friend is considering harming themselves or others, TELL SOMEONE! One of the worst things you can do is stay quiet, it may harm their safety. Even if they ask you not to, it is crucial that you tell someone so they can get the help they need. While you can't fix them or make their problems go away, you can try support them as best as you can. Below you will find some things you can do to help a friend who is struggling.
- Listen to them, they may just need someone to listen
- Educate yourself (you'll have a better understanding of what's going on)
- Take care of yourself (you can't help someone if you're feeling down)
- Encourage them to seek help
- Don't stop spending time with them
- Don't treat them like they're broken, accept them
- Do something they enjoy together! It may bring their mood up
- Show them memes! Everyone needs memes
- Practice coping strategies with them! Try yoga and other coping strategies (check out our coping strategies page!)
- Do things to decrease the stigma
- Use encouraging language (see table below)