Who would doubt the value of a great friend. Communication & Support is a bonus & adds happiness. Sharing thoughts, ideas & emotions enable friends to provide encouragement & support.
What if a friend is down, when does down turn dangerous? What are signs to look out for? Increasing our awareness - allows the opportunity to raise the alarm if a friend in deep depression may be a danger to themselves.
Real Friends Share
True friends share thoughts & feelings
Friendship is something you can count on
Genuine Friends try to be a shoulder to lean on
What Friends May Reveal?
Being a friend requires regular communication to remain up to date & share:
Then joys, accomplishments & desires
The hardships, struggles & obstacles
A friend is likely to be the first to identify significant changes.
My Friend is Acting Weird
Lack of interest, Tendency to Isolate & overall pessimism
Major changes in the personality, habits, character
Negative Behaviour patterns
What do I Say? Just Listen!
The ability to listen is a friends greatest Asset
Allowing a person to express their feelings
Showing empathy & compassion
Such things emphasize the true value of friendship. Communicating what the heart feels & knowing someone cares enough to listen.
More often than not it is the opening up of what you are feeling that leads to real help. Opening up is not necessarily screaming out that you wish to receive a thousand instructions.
Listen Carefully - Not Many Questions
How are you feeling now?
How long have you been feeling this way?
You may be able to identify whether anyone else is aware of the situation. Working along with another person shares the load and allows for additional support & monitoring if necessary.
See What Words Cannot Say!
Is the problem totally overwhelming for your friend
It this out of character for this person
Hopelessness, Desperation & Fear extremely evident
Expressions of Self Harm or Self Destructive Behaviour Patterns
Does the situation feel too intense for you to handle
The role of a friend is not to diagnose any health illness, let alone an extremely complex condition involving mental illness, in this case major depression or clinical depression.
Being a Friend - Not Accountable
A friend is not responsible for the decisions & actions of another person
Genuine Friendship should involve more than just listening & being a shoulder to lean on. Being aware of the differences & patterns between a low mood & a possible mental illness can be life saving.
Understanding the differences between the two, may provide the opportunity to raise the alarm that your friend maybe in serious trouble. It does not mean you are responsible to solve it, but a better position to call for help on your friends' behalf.
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