How to Support a Friend During a Mental Health Struggle: 9 Ways To Truly Help
As Mental Health Awareness Month wraps up, many of us find ourselves asking the same question: What does support really look like? We often want to be there for the people we love, but when someone we care about is struggling with their mental health, it can be hard to know what to do—or say.
The truth is, there’s no one perfect way to support a friend who’s hurting. But there are simple, meaningful actions we can take to show we care. Sometimes, it’s not about solving their problems—it’s about sitting beside them in the dark and reminding them they’re not alone.
In this post, we’re sharing nine ways to support a friend who’s struggling with their mental health, based on compassion, presence, and consistency. And we’d love to hear from you: What has helped you when you were struggling? Or what have you done that someone told you really made a difference? Let’s grow this list together.
1. Love
It may sound obvious, but love, expressed regularly and unconditionally, can be deeply healing. A friend struggling with their mental health may feel unworthy, isolated, or burdensome. They may withdraw, assume they’re too much, or worry they’re letting people down.
That’s why reminding them they are loved, just as they are, can be powerful. Whether it’s a text that says “I’m thinking of you,” a handwritten note, or simply sitting with them without expectation, consistent expressions of love help counter the negative self-talk that mental health struggles often bring.
2. Acceptance
Sometimes, the most supportive thing we can do is to accept a friend where they are, without trying to change them or talk them out of their feelings.
Acceptance says: You don’t need to be okay in order for me to stay close. It allows space for honesty and vulnerability, and it tells your friend: You are enough, even in this difficult moment.
Even when we want to encourage or motivate someone, it’s important to let them be in their process without rushing it.
3. Non-Judgment
People experiencing anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges often feel ashamed or self-critical. The last thing they need is to feel judged for struggling.
Non-judgment means listening without interrupting, criticizing, or trying to “fix” the situation. It means holding space for uncomfortable feelings like sadness, fear, anger, or despair without making your friend feel like they need to justify them.
Your role isn’t to diagnose or analyze—it’s to be a safe and compassionate witness to their experience.
4. Listening
There’s a difference between hearing and listening. When someone is opening up about their mental health, listening means giving them your full attention. Put away distractions. Make eye contact. Let them speak without interruption.
You don’t have to have the right words or solutions. Often, saying “That sounds really hard. I’m here for you” is enough. Reflecting back what they say (“It sounds like you’ve been feeling really overwhelmed”) shows that you’re truly present and trying to understand.
5. Distraction
While it’s important to honor heavy emotions, sometimes the kindest gift is a little lightness. Distractions, when welcomed, can help someone take a mental break from difficult thoughts.
Offer a movie night, a walk in nature, a craft session, or a cozy evening baking cookies together. These aren’t meant to avoid reality, but to give moments of relief and reconnection to joy. Just make sure to check in: “Would a distraction feel good right now?”
6. Validation
Validation is the art of saying: Your feelings make sense. You’re not crazy. You’re not overreacting.
It might sound like:
“That sounds really tough.”
“You’re going through a lot right now.”
“I can’t imagine exactly how you feel, but I’m here with you.”
When you validate someone, you help them feel seen and grounded. You remind them that their emotions are human and worthy of care.
7. Tangible Support
Sometimes love looks like lasagna and laundry.
Offering tangible support means showing up in practical, everyday ways that ease your friend’s load. You might:
Drop off a meal
Offer a ride to a therapy appointment
Help tidy up their space
Watch their kids for an hour
Send a grocery delivery
These acts say, “You don’t have to do this alone,” and can be especially helpful when a friend is too overwhelmed to ask for help.
8. Consistency
Mental health challenges can come with isolation, shame, and fear of abandonment. That’s why consistency is so meaningful.
Keep checking in, even if your friend doesn’t always respond. Keep inviting them, even if they often say no. Send messages like “No pressure to reply, just letting you know I’m thinking of you.”
Consistency builds trust. It shows that your care isn’t conditional on how they’re doing.
9. Patience
Healing isn’t linear. One day, your friend may seem better, and the next, they may be struggling again. That’s okay.
Being patient means letting your friend set the pace. It means resisting the urge to rush them or expect quick changes. It means sitting beside them even when progress feels invisible.
Remind yourself: you don’t need to “fix” your friend—you just need to keep showing up.
When Support Means Getting Help
It’s also important to know your own limits. If someone you love is in significant distress—talking about suicide, self-harm, or unable to function—your role may shift from peer support to connecting them with professional help.
Support in those moments might mean:
Encouraging them to talk to a therapist or doctor
Offering to sit with them while they make the call
Reaching out to a trusted family member
Contacting crisis resources if there’s immediate danger
You are not failing your friend by recognizing when the situation is beyond what you can handle alone. In fact, that’s one of the most loving things you can do.
Support is not one-size-fits-all. What helps one person may not help another, but when it comes from a place of love, it matters.
As we close Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re reflecting not just on statistics and symptoms, but on the power of connection. Your story could be the exact inspiration someone else needs.
Together, let’s keep building a world where no one has to struggle alone.
