Five Kind Ways To Comfort A Friend In Need

We all love spending time with our friends, we know them like the back of our hand, make each other laugh and love them completely with all of their flaws. But when they’re having a tough time, it can be hard to know how to be there for them, no matter how much we want to. Do they need space or should you call every day? Although a friend may not be able to tell you what they need when they’re struggling, there are things you can do to let them know you’re there and help them feel supported through their troubles:

Bring Them Food

When we’re feeling low, it is common to turn to food as a source of comfort. We all have our own favourites, mine is chocolate-covered cornflakes and one of my best friends craves ice cream when she’s down. If someone close to you has been suffering from an illness, is stressed, sad or just going through a rough patch, they may not feel up to buying or cooking feel-good food. Going to the trouble of making or finding them something you know is guaranteed to cheer them up, will make them feel cared for. You don’t even have to meet up, you can simply pop it through their letterbox or you could even order them a Deliveroo! Salted fudge caramel sundae anyone?

Leave Them A Voice Message

Sometimes, when we’re going through a challenging time, we don’t have the energy to speak to anyone, even the people we care most about. This doesn’t mean that we don’t want to hear from our close ones though! If your friend is not returning your texts or calls, don’t take it personally. Instead leave them a voicemail or a send them video message to tell them that you miss them and that they’re in your thoughts. A word of caution, try to keep it caring and not a detailed description of what they’re missing out on or your well-intended message may have the opposite effect.

Lend a Helping Hand

If you get a chance to spend time with your friend, find out if there’s anything they are having trouble with and look for a way to lighten their load. It could be something small like composing a text to someone they’ve been struggling to communicate with or doing the washing up. Or something a little more involved, like taking their smart clothes to the dry cleaners before a big meeting. Whether you are sick or feeling down, even the smallest task can feel overwhelming. Giving your friend a hand with something they’ve been putting off, will lessen the weight on their shoulders and help them to feel more in control.

Send Them a Card

There are situations that can make being there for your friends trickier, especially if they have moved to a different town or country. If someone close to you is having a hard time and they are living or staying abroad, there are still ways that you can be there for them. Time differences can make calling problematic, but you can always write! A hand-written note when you are down can be as soothing as a home cooked meal and will be appreciated. Even if you need to send something quickly, there are ways to send everything from empathy to birthday cards in your own handwriting and have them in the destination country’s mail in minutes!

Distract Them

When you live close to your friend, an easy way to bring them some relief is simply to distract them from whatever they are going through. Depending on how they are feeling, you can do a variety of things. If they are up for something outdoors, you could take them to a yoga or dance class to get their endorphins flowing and take their mind off their problems for a little while. If they aren’t feeling energetic, suggest a movie night or sleep over and swoon over your favourite crush. Or if it’s daytime, you could give each other a DIY mani/pedi. It’s almost impossible not to feel a little bit better with a bright colour on your nails.

If your friend is struggling, the most important thing is just to show them that you care. These little gestures may seem small, but could be that little ray of sunshine that she or he really needs. Is there something that you have done for a friend that they really appreciated? Or perhaps it was something a friend did for you? Please share them in the comments, we’d love to hear them!