We’ve all been there! That situation when someone a close friend is making an almighty mistake! Right in front of our eyes! Of course, as we love them, and we don’t want them to suffer. It can be tempting to get involved and try to help them out. However, there is a right way and wrong way of doing this. The latter can end up causing more harm than good. Luckily, you can get some suggestions on this topic in the post below.
Listen
The number one thing you can do for a friend or loved one that is going through a tough time is to listen. Unfortunately, this can be one of the hardest things to do. Especially if you have strong opinions on how they got themselves into the situation in the first place. You may even have some definite views on the faults of others involved in the problem too.
However, where possible remaining neutral and only reflecting back what they are saying is the best approach. After all, when you start to include your own judgment, you can cloud the issue for your friend. You also run the risk that they will react badly. Perhaps even blame any decisions that they make but go wrong on you.
Offer Help
Another suggestion is for you to offer some practical help that will benefit the situation your friend currently finds themselves in. I’m not talking about advice here, but supplying a box of groceries if they are struggling financially, or even taking them to the store to stock up on items they need.
The gift of time is often highly appreciated when people are going through a difficult patch as well. Especially if you spend it doing something they are currently finding hard to get around to such as vacuuming their home or helping with childcare.
Of course, there is another type of help you can offer as well, and it’s to put them in touch with others that can provide assistance with the problems they are suffering. For example, a friend struggling with dependency may benefit from being given details of a drug and alcohol detox center locally. Something that can help them take that difficult first step.
Similarly, if your loved one is having problems in their relationship, hooking them up with a counselor may be the best thing you can do. The reason for this being that they can get professional support and advice they need to get through their problems.
Offer distraction
Finally, sometimes the best thing you can do as a friend is to help your loved ones take their mind off of their problems for a while. With that in mind, arranging a fun activity like going out for dinner. Take a trip, or even staying in and playing a game or watching a film can be a great choice.
In fact, by offering up your time and company in this way you could be providing a much-needed respite. A break that gives your loved one a chance to reflect on their problems and maybe even gain some new perspective on how to solve them.
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