This article was first published in March 2021.
It’s always good to talk about the way you’re feeling, especially if you’re struggling with your mental health. But what do you say to a friend who opens up to you to let you know they’re having a hard time? What is the best way to support them?
Here’s Katie Thistleton with some advice from children’s and young people’s charity Young Minds.
Katie: Hello, I'm Katie Thistleton from Radio One's Life Hacks and if there's one thing I've learned from my time on the show, it's that it's so important to talk about how we're feeling. But what do you say to a friend who wants to talk to about their mental health, if they open up and let you know they're having a hard time? Well, here are some top tips for you from children's and young people's mental health charity, Young Minds.
Tip number one is to listen. It's the best thing you can do to support a friend who wants to talk. Listen carefully and let them speak. Don't make assumptions or interrupt them, you don't even need to respond, in fact. You can let them know that you're listening by nodding and repeating what they've said.
Tip number two: Your friend needs to know their feelings are valid. You could let them know that what they're going through sounds like it's really tough, or you could say it's okay to feel like that.
Tip number three: Let your friend know that they're not alone. Reassure them that they've done the right thing by reaching out to talk.
Tip number four: Ask your friend what they'd like from you, and if they'd like you to help them find places they can get support, like their GP or helplines.
Tip number five: Check in on your friend after the conversation. You might want to leave it a day or two, and if they don't want to talk any more, respect their boundaries.
And finally, tip number six: Look after yourself by taking time to talk to someone if you need to, or by practising some self-care after having a difficult conversation. Know that just by listening and talking to your friend, you've done an amazing job, and you've done what you can. And remember it's not all on you. There are lots of other places that can help, like the GP, school, helplines or services.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact , where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on ±«Óătv Action Line.
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