For Friends
How can you help support a friend who has a chronic condition and/or disability? We're glad you asked!
Living
with a chronic condition and/or disability tends to be isolating,
lonely and confusing, which is why friends are so important. Here are some guidelines
for helping a friend. (Of course everyone is different, and there's no
one how-to for supporting a friend. When in doubt, ask your friend.)
- Learn
about the situation. Ask your friend whether he/she can provide
information, or read up. The more you know, the better you'll
understand.
- Focus on all the things your friend can do, rather than any impairment.
- Listen with compassion. You'll give your friend a gift if you just bear witness to what he/she experiences.
- Encourage. You can help your friend maintain optimism even while dealing with chronic illness and/or disabilities.
- Ask, "How can I help?" and make yourself available.
- Develop a healthy balance between providing support to your friend and taking care of yourself.
- Avoid giving unsolicited advice or judging by appearance.