• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Latest
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
The Frisky
  • Home
  • News
  • Health
  • Celebs
  • Movies
  • Love
  • Relationships
  • Style
  • Entertainment
  • Parenting
  • Royals
  • Travel
Relationships

4 Essential Ways To Support A Friend Going Through A Hard Time

by Billy Antonio October 19, 2019
by Billy Antonio October 19, 2019 Source: Konzept Bildung und Services GmbH
1.5K

As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. The last few weeks have been pretty hard for me. An immediate family member is in the hospital; while they aren’t in mortal danger, the situation is messy and as their power of attorney, I’m having to juggle my emotional stress with a legal responsibility that feels uncomfortable but is nonetheless necessary. Additionally, there have been other, uh, unpleasant developments in my personal life that have left my heart feeling incredibly bruised and disappointed. Yet the last few weeks have been made much more manageable thanks to my amazing family, friends, and coworkers, who have shown their support in just the right ways. After the jump, a 4-step plan for supporting a friend or family member who’s going through a crappy time. If you have any additional steps you want to add, share them in the comments!

Source: Odyssey

Step 1: Keep your worry to yourself. If you know someone is going through a hard time, it’s only natural to feel worried about them. But for the person who’s having a hard time, knowing someone is “worrying” about them is an additional burden. I adore my mom and I am happy that I can talk to her about anything and everything, but sometimes I find myself toning down my sadness or fear because it causes her to really worry and that causes me to be distracted by her worry, which isn’t helpful. So, if you’re the friend or loved one of someone having a hard time, keep your worry about them or the situation to yourself, and focus your energy on being strong and supportive instead.

Step 2: Make it clear that you’re there to help, then give them space. Everyone deals with grief, stress, and heartbreak in their own way; some people like to be surrounded by loved ones during hard times, while others like to keep to themselves. Offer your support in a firm, loving, and clear manner—“I’m sorry you’re going through a hard time. I am hear for you in any way you need me to be, all you have to do is ask”—and then give them breathing room. There’s no need to reiterate it over and over again. Even if they never take you up on it—or seek the support of someone else—knowing they have your support available to them is what matters most.

Source: Blog

Step 3: Don’t downplay your own happiness. Sure, don’t rub your good fortune in the face of someone going through a rough time—“Sucks you and your boyfriend broke up, but that reminds me, did I tell you that my boyfriend is taking me to Paris for three weeks?”—but downplaying positive news doesn’t actually help, it sounds ungrateful. The intentions may be totally pure, but it’s annoying when someone tries to relate by joining the pity party with their similar, but lesser (or non-existent), problems. For example, if we just got dumped, it doesn’t make us feel better if you pretend your boyfriend is not so great when we know he is and, really, we’d like to know there’s awesome dudes out there because it gives us hope.

Step 4: Show them that they’re in your thoughts in other ways. A friend of mine, knowing I’ve been having a hard couple of weeks, texted me yesterday simply to tell me that I’m awesome. Another friend, knowing I’ve been wanting to distract myself by getting out of the house, has been inviting me to events that she thinks I’ll enjoy. Ami always sends me pornographic GIFs or ridiculous photos because she knows they make me laugh no matter what. Small actions like these are uplifting reminders that a person is loved and on someone’s mind; when you’re going through a tough time, that can often be just the motivation needed to keep on keepin’ on.

Original by Amelia McDonell-Parry

advicefriendfriendshipSupport
Billy Antonio

previous post
Girl Talk: I Feel Like I’m Married To My Best Friend
next post
5 Signs Your Friend Is Really A Frenemy

Related Posts

Sail Into Greatness: 5 Compelling Reasons to Dive...

August 9, 2023

Benefits of Using a Reputable Broker

June 11, 2023

Teenage Anxiety: How to Identify and Provide Support

March 24, 2023

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Animals
  • Anime
  • Art
  • Astrology
  • Beard Care
  • Beauty
  • Betting
  • Biography
  • Blog
  • Business
  • Buying Guides
  • Cannabis
  • Cars
  • Casino
  • CBD
  • Celebs
  • Children
  • Citizenship
  • Clippers
  • Clothes
  • Computer
  • Couple Time
  • COVID-19
  • Crime
  • Crypto
  • Culture
  • Design
  • DIY
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Family
  • Fashion
  • Featured
  • Food
  • Food & Drink
  • Furniture
  • Galleries
  • Gambling
  • Games
  • Gardening
  • Gifts
  • Girl
  • Gossip
  • Guide
  • Guys
  • Hair
  • Hair Care Tips
  • Hair Dryers
  • Hair loss
  • Hairstyles
  • Health
  • Highlights
  • History
  • Hobby
  • Home
  • Horoscopes
  • Hot Rollers
  • How to …
  • Industry
  • Internet
  • Interview
  • Law
  • Legal Advice
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Love & Sex
  • Love Your Self
  • Makeup
  • Marketing
  • Medicine
  • Mind & Body
  • Money
  • Motorcycle
  • Movies
  • Moving
  • Music
  • Nails
  • Net Worth
  • News
  • Parenting
  • People
  • Pets
  • Photography
  • Products for Hair
  • Real Estate
  • Recipes
  • Relationships
  • Religion
  • Royals
  • SEO
  • Shopping
  • Skincare
  • Sports
  • Studying
  • Style
  • Super Stars
  • Tech
  • Technology
  • The Body
  • Tips
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Tools
  • Toys
  • Travel
  • Type
  • Uncategorized
  • Vape
  • Vehicle
  • Video
  • VR
  • Wedding
Footer Logo
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Latest
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 - All Right Reserved.

TheFrisky.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

We at TheFrisky participate in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn commissions on products or services that we recommend or promote through our website. When you click on a link to purchase a product or service that we have recommended or promoted, we may earn a commission from the sale. This commission helps us maintain and improve our website and provide you with valuable information and resources.

The Frisky
  • Home
  • News
  • Health
  • Celebs
  • Movies
  • Love
  • Relationships
  • Style
  • Entertainment
  • Parenting
  • Royals
  • Travel
The Frisky
  • Home
  • News
  • Health
  • Celebs
  • Movies
  • Love
  • Relationships
  • Style
  • Entertainment
  • Parenting
  • Royals
  • Travel
© 2024 - All Right Reserved.

TheFrisky.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

We at TheFrisky participate in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn commissions on products or services that we recommend or promote through our website. When you click on a link to purchase a product or service that we have recommended or promoted, we may earn a commission from the sale. This commission helps us maintain and improve our website and provide you with valuable information and resources.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoPrivacy policy

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy