Help A Friend Recover

Supporting someone you care about through depression, anxiety, addiction or serious emotional distress can be difficult.
You may find yourself wondering:

• What should I say?
• What should I do?
• Am I helping or making things worse?
• Should I step in, step back, or set a boundary?
• How do I support them without taking over?
• What support do I need for myself?

Help A Friend Recover is a practical weekly online group for anyone supporting a friend, partner, family member or other loved one who is struggling.
You do not need to be a counsellor or have all the right answers.
In fact, one of the central ideas of the group is:
To help someone recover, you don’t need the right answers — you need the right questions.
Each week we will explore practical ways of supporting someone while recognising an important truth:
You cannot fix, cure or save another person — but you can contribute to their recovery.
We will look at questions such as:
Where are they on their journey?
Are they experiencing a problem but not yet ready to acknowledge it?
Do they recognise the problem but feel unable to act?
Are they ready to make changes?
Are they already taking steps towards recovery?
Understanding where someone is can help you decide what kind of support may actually be useful.
How can I support them towards the healing state?
Rather than trying to control another person's recovery, we will explore ways of helping them strengthen the things that support recovery — including relationships, professional help, practical resources, healthy routines, knowledge, skills, hope and personal strengths.
How can I support them to stay in the healing state?
Recovery is rarely a single breakthrough. We will discuss how to support progress without becoming responsible for maintaining it.
What should I do after they have healed?
Helping someone recover can change a relationship. We will explore how to gradually step back from the helper role and return to a healthier, more balanced relationship.
What support do I need now?
Supporting someone who is struggling can be exhausting. Your own wellbeing matters too.
The group will also explore boundaries, difficult conversations, guilt, fear, responsibility, safety and the difference between helping someone take their next step and taking the step for them.
A useful question throughout the group will be:
Does what I am doing help this person take their next step, or does it take the step for them?
This is a friendly, practical and discussion-based group.
You are welcome whether the person you are concerned about is a friend, partner, parent, sibling, adult child or another important person in your life.
You do not have to share anything you are uncomfortable discussing.
The aim is simple:
To help you become calmer, clearer and more confident about how you support someone you care about — while also looking after yourself.

## Important Disclaimer

This Meetup is an educational and peer-support discussion group. It is not counselling, psychotherapy, medical treatment, addiction treatment, crisis intervention or a substitute for professional advice.
The information and ideas discussed are general in nature and may not be appropriate for every individual or situation.
The organiser and other participants cannot assess, diagnose, treat or take responsibility for another person's mental or physical health, substance use, behaviour or safety.
If you are concerned that someone may be at immediate risk of harming themselves or another person, is experiencing a medical emergency, or is otherwise in immediate danger, contact the appropriate emergency services or urgent professional support in your area.
Any decisions you make about your relationships, boundaries or actions remain your own responsibility.
Please also respect the privacy of other participants. Do not share identifying information about people discussed in the group, and please keep personal information shared by other attendees confidential.