What do you say to an unwell person? I have a friend who has been ill for a very long time and...

doodlebug2013 · 41-45, F

The biggest thing is to just be there for her. Living with a chronic illness, I can tell you words can only do so much, anyway. A good idea for something to say would be to ask if there's anything you can do for her, but don't make it open ended. Ask about doing something concrete that would be genuinely helpful, like cooking and freezing a bunch of meal portions for her, or helping with cleaning her place or doing some kind of maintenance or something like that. Stuff that helps to have done for the times when you're too tired or hurty to do those things yourself. That helps me.

HannahSky · F

Let them know you're sorry they're suffering and that you want to help if you can.

SweetMae · 70-79, F

I don't think you need to say much. She just needs your friendship now.

LilPuckBunny · F

I think on the whole it's normal chats. Not changing the dynamic and treating them with pitty. Laughing and joking and sharing things as you normally would.

Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

I guess it depends on what your friend needs.
Do they want you to tell them all that's going on in your life at the moment ?

Do you get the feeling that perhaps they only want to hear positives ? About maybe how they look or what they may have been up to recently ?

It could be that all they want is somebody elses voice and thoughts for a while.
As a break from their own.

SW-User

Tell them everything they can do matters. Some people feel like they aren’t enough when they have an illness physical or mental.

ABCDEF7 · M

Why it's getting late in her recovery?

Harriet03 · 41-45, F

Stay positive.
(Not to be said to HIV patients)!

SW-User

Awwwwww I'm sorry. I'm not so good at this either. I hope she recovers

Ian123 · 61-69, M

You really don’t need to talk about it, just be there if she needs you 🤗

Thevy29 · 41-45, M

Just be friends with her would be enough.