You may have noticed that a friend is having a hard time. Your friend may be sick, stuck in an unhealthy relationship, having financial problems, drinking too much alcohol or just seem depressed and sad. Either your friend has told you about a problem – or you may suspect something is wrong.

You can't solve the problem for them or be responsible for their actions. But you can be there for as long as they need you to be. That’s what friends are for!

Try to:

• Get your friend talking. In a kind way, ask what is going on. You could encourage your friend to talk to others too – or offer to go with them to talk to an adult they can trust.
• Listen. Just listening to them talk about the problem will help your friend.
• Take their problem seriously, even if it sounds small to you.
• Don't feel you need to have all the answers.
• Be available to your friend and make sure they know you're there for them.

If you are worried that a friend is in danger, at risk, or in an abusive situation, tell someone who you think can help. A trusted adult may be able to help your friend understand how to change the situation.