Ways of helping a friend through a difficult time:

• Listen to them. You don't even have to come up with answers or solutions—sometimes your mates just need someone to talk to.
• Don't judge your friend or tell them what to do. When people are having a hard time, the last thing they need is a lecture.
• Make sure your friend is not being too hard on themselves. Remind them that we are all human, we all have problems and we all learn from our mistakes.
• Be trustworthy and supportive. Make sure that your friend can rely on you to be there when they need you and to not gossip about them behind their back.
• Let your friend know that you care about them and remind them of all their good qualities.
• Make sure that they have a safe space to hang out in—invite them over to your house and just let them chill out.
• Encourage them to get help—if talking to you about their problems makes them feel a bit better, maybe talking to a health professional or counsellor would help too.
• Distract your friend by doing something you both enjoy such as shopping, going to the beach, the movies or just make them laugh.
• Remind your friend of all the good things in their life—all the things they can be grateful for, and all the things that make them happy.
• Tell your friend about Somazone.

If you believe your friend is in serious danger, let someone know, such as a parent, a trusted teacher or call Lifeline (13 11 14) or the Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800).

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