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Looking after yourself

Remembering to look after yourself

​When supporting a friend, it’s important that you look after yourself and remember your own priorities.

Keep up with your usual interests and hobbies, and make time for your relationships with family and friends.

While maintaining the confidence of your friend, ensure you are getting support. It can be tough worrying about how someone is doing, so find a way of ensuring you are supported too. Try to find someone separated from the situation who doesn’t have a ‘gossiping interest’ so you have someone to confide in and talk through any tricky situations or conversations.

Remember there will be some things that you or your friend may not feel comfortable discussing. If something comes up that you aren’t comfortable talking about, you might suggest that they talk about this specific issue with someone else, and if you ask something that your friend isn’t comfortable answering try not to put too much pressure on them. Let them know the door is open and that you are there as and when they are ready.
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​Finally, maintain boundaries. Remember, you are not supposed to help with everything. Encouraging your friend to try to solve their day-today problems can be really helpful in giving them greater confidence in their ability to cope without having to rely exclusively on the support of friends. See our resource on Looking After your Mental Wellbeing to find out more.

For information on Supporting Supporters workshops that we offer, see our website here.

"Recovery is something which requires the motivation of the individual, and this takes time. So I sincerely hope my friends put themselves first. There is a limit to what friends can do to help and compromising their own needs does not help anyone"

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  • Find Support
    • Support for me >
      • Our Peer Support Programmes >
        • Our confidentiality commitment
        • Support for specific difficulties
      • Support at your university and further
      • University staff-run workshops
    • Support for a friend >
      • Starting a conversation
      • Looking after yourself
    • Support for parents
    • Help through Coronavirus >
      • Coronavirus - Looking After Your Mental Health
      • Coronavirus - Student resources >
        • Assessments and exams from home ​
        • Managing digital communication
      • Student Space FAQs
    • Resources >
      • Men’s Mental Health
      • The Wellbeing Thesis
      • Transitions >
        • Transition into University
        • Know Before You Go
        • Transitions for staff
      • Starting University
      • Exam stress
      • LGBTQ+
      • Looking after your mental wellbeing
      • Year Abroad
      • Student finance
      • Support through a family health crisis
  • About
    • What we do >
      • Our impact
    • Our team >
      • Trustees
      • Clinical Advisors
      • Student Advisors
    • Our supporters
  • Get Involved
    • Student volunteering >
      • Write for us
      • Peer support groups >
        • Apply to be a peer support facilitator
        • Set up a peer support group
    • University staff >
      • Mental Health in Sport >
        • Mental Health in Sport Online
      • Look After Your Mate >
        • Look After Your Mate Online
      • Setting up a peer support group >
        • Students Minds peer support set up
        • Peer support Train the Trainer
    • Students’ Unions >
      • Introduction to Student Mental Health Online
      • Look After Your Members Online
    • Accommodation Providers
    • Research
  • Information Hub
    • Latest news
    • Research and publications >
      • Co-production Guide
      • The Role of an Academic
      • LGBTQ+ Research​
      • Student Voices
      • Graduate Wellbeing
      • Student Living
      • Grand Challenges
      • University Peer Support
      • University Challenge
      • Looking After a Mate
      • Summary of HEFCE’s Report
    • Materials and resources
    • National campaigns >
      • Previous campaigns
  • Charter
    • Charter - Sustainable Future
    • Creating the Charter
    • Charter - Student Panel
    • Charter - FAQs
  • Support Us
    • Donate >
      • Online shopping
      • Payroll giving
    • Fundraise >
      • Summer Fundraising
      • Plan Your Own Event
      • RAGs and Student Societies
      • Celebrate with Student Minds
      • Challenge Events
      • Paying in money
      • Fundraising Resources
    • Corporate Partners