Most of us would agree that being there for our friends when they’re having a hard time is one of the most important things we can do for them. Seeing someone you really care about struggling in some way is one of the hardest things in the world for a lot of people, so it only makes sense that they would want to do anything they can to help. However, it’s often all too easy to feel totally powerless to do anything that will make a genuine difference. With that in mind, here are just some of the things that you can do to help a friend in crisis.
Be patient when helping a friend in crisis
One of the hardest things to come to terms with is if someone you care about is going through any kind of crisis, there may not be any short term solutions. It could well be something that either needs to run its course or that involves a far more long term approach. Being able to recognize this and be patient not only means that you will be able to help and support them much more effectively but also it will prevent extra layers of stress being added to both of your lives.
Guide them toward real help
It’s fantastic that you want to be there to help a friend in crisis. They are incredibly lucky to have someone who is willing to put the effort into actually being there for them. However, you need to understand that there is almost certainly going to be a limit to the kind of help that you can actually offer them. This is especially true if they’re suffering from something really serious like an addiction. Being able to guide them toward things like residential drug rehab is often the best you can do to help your friend through a crisis like that. That way they can get the professional help that they really need.
Protect yourself
When you’re worried about someone in your life, it’s easy to forget about one incredibly important in the whole scenario: you. Sure, your friend might be having an incredibly hard time, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not also impacted by it as well. There’s a limit to just how much one person can take onto their own shoulders for the sake of someone that they care about. Even if it sounds a little selfish, you need to be able to protect yourself as well. If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else.
One of the hardest, yet most important things that you can come to terms with when you find yourself in this kind of situation is that there is always a chance that there simply isn’t anything you can do for someone else. Trying to force the situation is not only going to leave you feeling exhausted, but it’s also going to put a lot of pressure on the person you care about as well. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your friend and yourself is just to step back, at least for a little while.
Remember that things have a way of working out. God has a plan, and only He can see the end result. Do what you can to help your friend in crisis and let Him do the rest.
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