Supporting a Friend

Here at UME we try to look at the problem of mental ill health from all sides. We recognise that it is really difficult to be a friend of someone who suffers, so we are here to help in any way we can! Feel free to come talk to us at any time if you are concerned about a friend or if you want to know how to act around them and read on for our top tips of how to support your friend in a difficult time.

DON’T TIPTOE AROUND – You might think that a friend with a mental illness is fragile and that you should be careful with what you say and how you act around them. In actual fact what is often needed is for you to be normal around them. If you can make your friend laugh and forget why they are sad in the first place then it is often way more effective than giving someone a hug.

DON’T ASK WHATS WRONG – As a sufferer there is nothing worse than trying to hold it together when everyone is asking you “What’s wrong?” or, “Are you alright?” Instead, why not try and get them involved in whatever your doing or your conversation.

LISTEN – Possibly the most important thing you can do as a friend, is be there if they want to talk. Never push them into a conversation about their mental health but always be willing to have one if they are ready and be supportive of whatever they have to say. Try hard not to act shocked no matter what they come out with as its so important for them to be able to confide in somebody and if you are the person they have chosen then you need to take that role seriously.

BE PATIENT - Mental illness can make you very self obsessed and it is hard to express how you are feeling and so things often go unsaid and so as the friend of a sufferer, you may feel you only ever see is the shell of what used to be your friend but they are still in there and if you are a true friend you will support them when they need it, laugh with them, be their shoulder to cry on and stick it out through the bad days because then you get to have the good days with them as well.