6 Ways to Help a Friend with Depression or Anxiety
You can ask what's troubling them, and then listen. No need to give advice or try to fix anything. You can even ask them what they're needing/wanting from you. They may know or they may not know. Just be with them.
Be there for your friend. If you don't know what to say, be the shoulder they can lean on and listen if they decide to speak. Sometimes just being with another person and connecting is all a person needs to know they're not alone.
Validate their feelings. Don't minimize or bypass. Something as simple as "I'm so sorry you're feeling hurt, bad, sad, etc." "It really sucks." Keep it real, but don't fall into the trap of trying to fix anything.
Timing is everything with this one. They may not realize they need professional help/support. If they come to you asking for a referral, make sure you can lead them to good support.
Supporting them doesn't mean becoming part of their story. Maintain healthy boundaries and know what your limitations are. If they start talking about hurting themselves, make sure you know who to call: suicide hotline, police, etc. The professionals will know what to do, and there's great resources online if you don't know what to look for (or listen for) when someone is experiencing suicide ideation.
By all means celebrate the successes! It doesn't need to be a grand gesture. Getting together for coffee/tea and treating them to a sweet treat, etc. may just do the trick in encouraging them to keep moving forward.
