How to tell if a friend needs support during the pandemic

The pandemic has been difficult for all of us, so let’s look out for each other

This content was originally part of our Pandemic support series: to address the chaos and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to support young people with navigating this difficult time.

Although many of us may feel we’re now in a post-pandemic era, this content will still be relevant to lots of people. There are still many people who rely on communicating, building relationships and accessing support online, whether they continue to shield from COVID-19, have long Covid, or have any other chronic illness that means they have to limit in-person social contact. There are still lots of reasons why we may need some extra support right now, and no one should feel excluded from society or unable to access the support they need.

The uncertainty of the pandemic so far and everything that has come with it has had a serious impact on our mental and physical health. We’re going through a lot, and we all need a little extra support. The pandemic means we’re likely to be struggling even more with some of the things that are tricky in normal times, and it’s caused new issues for many of us too.

Things like…

Less physical activity than usual
Less motivation
Feeling down about yourself, having low self-esteem
Increased tiredness
Anxious feelings or stress
Low mood or depression
Feelings of loneliness
Grief after losing a loved one
Struggling with family relationships and friendships
Struggling with romantic relationships

These can affect anyone. It’s perfectly normal to be struggling, and it’s really important to express these feelings to someone you trust, and to know when you might need to seek out further support. It’s likely that your friends are in need of a little extra support too – but it’s not always obvious when they need your help, or the help of a professional.

How do I tell if a friend is struggling?

Here are five signs you can look out for if you think a friend is struggling and may need some support:

1. Not enjoying things they used to 😔

2. Not having as much confidence as they did before 🕺

3. Spending less time with friends and family 👪

4. Being tired a lot of the time 🛏️

5. Talking about feeling sad or worthless 😞

It may be that you notice all of these things, or just a few of them. You may also have friends who are able to hide their feelings very well, so it can be useful to ask your friends outright if they’re doing okay. Reach out and bring friends into a conversation. You won’t have all the answers but giving them the space to open up might give them the confidence to access further support if they need it.

What can I do to help?

If you’ve noticed a friend is acting differently than usual and you think they may be struggling, there are some really practical things you can do to support them. Here, we list some ways to support your friends who are struggling.

However, it’s important to remember that it’s not your responsibility to ‘fix’ all your friends’ problems. All you can do is listen and help them access support if they need it. It’s also really important to look after yourself too – if you don’t feel able to provide support right now, that’s okay. It doesn’t make you a bad friend to acknowledge that you’re not in a place to provide support to your friend right now.

Discover Fumble’s pandemic support series

The pandemic has had a huge impact on all of our lives, and we’ve all struggled to adapt to the changes that continue to happen all around us.

Our pandemic support series explores young people’s experiences of COVID-19, and helps you start to make sense of the chaotic and uncertain time we’re living in. Discover the full series here.