Take a moment to think about a friendship.
We don’t necessarily mean your social media friends—though the word has come to be associated with a certain social media platform. We mean the people you call when you just want to hang out or when you need a favor or when you have something to celebrate (or something to mourn). The people you know will have your back in every situation. The people you would do anything to help and support.
You may have quite a few friends like this or you might have a small number of truly close friends. In either case, those friendships bring joy and support to your life—and in doing so, they support your mental health.
Unfortunately, when a person is struggling with a mental health disorder, it can be difficult to reach out to friends. Those who suffer from depression, anxiety, or disorders grounded in trauma may find themselves withdrawing from a friendship—even their very best friends—at a time when they truly need them.
The tendency to pull back from our friends when we are in distress does not serve us well, of course. But sometimes, we feel too bad or too ashamed or just too tired to reach out to our close friends when the symptoms of a mental health disorder overwhelm us. It would be far better to connect with those who truly care about us when times are tough.
To that end, we have collected some quotes about friendship you can use to motivate you to reach out when you need to. They might also remind you how important it is for you to be a good friend when others reach out to you.
My definition of a friend is somebody who adores you even though they know the things you’re most ashamed of. – Actor Jodie Foster
This quote from the Academy Award winning Foster feels particularly apropos to our topic today. As we have noted, some folks who are struggling with a mental health disorder feel a sense of shame or embarrassment that keeps them from reaching out to a friend when they desperately need one. Foster reminds us that a true friend already knows you are not perfect—and loves you anyway.
Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words. – Author George Eliot
The author Mary Ann Evans probably knew a thing or two about feeling safe with a friend and being able to trust that person with the truth about what was on her mind. After all, she wrote as George Eliot in a time when female authors were not held in the same esteem as their male counterparts.
Having someone with whom she could always be her true self was likely helpful to her. And that feeling of having someone to truly trust can be helpful to those struggling with a mental health disorder as well.
Some days you will be the light for others, and some days you will need some light from them. As long as there is light, there is hope, and there is a way. – Jennifer Gayle
You can find plenty of inspirational quotes from Jennifer Gayle online, but this one strikes us as particularly relevant to a discussion of friendship. Gayle reminds us that sometimes we need our friends to support us in challenging moments and sometimes our friends need us to provide support for them. This give and take is at the very heart of strong friendships. And the good news is that being there for someone else supports your mental health, too.
Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it’s all over. – Author Octavia Butler
Octavia Butler was a truly exceptional writer of science fiction, and as this quote demonstrates, she also had a strong sense of the responsibilities friends have to one another. Sometimes we just need someone to listen. Sometimes we need someone to support us as we work toward a goal. And sometimes we need someone to help us start all over again. Knowing who in your life can fulfill the right role at the right time can be a great comfort. Knowing you can be that person for someone else is also empowering and good for your mental well-being.
You Have a Friend in Peak View Behavioral Health
When you are struggling with a mental health disorder, you need help from experienced, compassionate experts who will take the time to listen to you and to personalize your treatment. That is what we offer at Peak View Behavioral Health in Colorado Springs. Just like you can count on a good friend to always be there for you, you can count on us to provide the resources and support you need to improve your mental health and maintain those improvements going forward.
Are you looking for mental health help in Colorado Springs? For more information about Peak View Behavioral Health, or if you have questions, please call us at 719-694-0220 or use our contact form.
