30 Touching Ways to Make Someone Feel Better & Help a Sad Friend

When someone close to you is going through a hard time, it’s easy to feel helpless. Learn how to make someone feel better and perk them up instantly!

When someone you care about feels down or sad, the first thing you want to do is take their sadness away. Of course, you probably can’t just wipe away their worries like nothing happened, but you can learn how to make someone feel better. By doing that, you can at least make them feel a little better in that very moment. You can even learn how to make someone feel better over text.

It’s true that it’s a helpless feeling when someone seems down. It’s even worse when they won’t tell you what is wrong with them.

You can tell by their body language that something isn’t quite right, but all they say is, “I’m fine.” Of course, you know they’re not fine at all and it’s super-frustrating!

In truth, you don’t always need to know exactly what is wrong with someone to perk them up a little. These thoughtful methods will put a smile on their face, even if they’re having a rough time. Let’s also talk about whether it’s suitable to learn how to make someone feel better over text, or whether it’s truly a face-to-face deal. [Read: How to make someone happy & help them get back their happy spark]

But before we get to a list of ways to cheer someone up and learn to make someone feel better, let’s just spend a moment to understand what’s happening inside their mind when they’re sad so you can genuinely help them.

Why do we feel sad?

You may want to help your friend feel better, and that’s a great start. All of us feel sad now and then, so that would make it easy for you to empathize with someone who’s feeling that way.

After all, sadness is a feeling we are all too familiar with. That empty, hopeless feeling can creep up on us for any number of reasons: a break-up, the loss of a job, or even just a bad day. But why do we feel sad? And more importantly, how can we make it go away? [Read: Feeling unloved? 21 ways we feel less loved and how to feel love again]

Within the brain, sadness is caused by a decrease in the neurotransmitter serotonin. This chemical is responsible for regulating our mood, and when levels are low, we feel down.

Other causes of sadness could also include low levels of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients are essential for maintaining mental health, and when levels are low, it can lead to feelings of sadness and anxiety.

One of the best ways to help someone feel better is to get outside and soak up some sun with them. Vitamin D helps to regulate serotonin levels, and getting some natural sunlight may be the last thing on their mind, but if you can coax them out, it’ll slowly help them feel better.

Also, exercise is a really good way to improve someone’s mood. It releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. But, of course, that would be the last thing your friend would feel like doing right now! *try convincing them though!*

And finally, eating a healthy diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can help to improve your mood and fight off sadness, so try and get your friend to eat something healthy as you two hang out together.

If someone is feeling down, try getting them outside, exercise with them, or get them to eat healthy meals. And remember, sadness is usually only temporary, and there are plenty of things you can do to help someone feel better. [Read: How to stop feeling sorry for yourself and end the pity party for good]

But here’s the most important thing to remember – Don’t be afraid to reach out for support or seek professional help for your friend, if that’s something they’re willing to consider. With the right tools and strategies, you can help someone overcome their sadness and help them move forward in a more positive direction.

But as all of these guaranteed ways to help someone feel better end up taking a few days to take effect, here are a few other ways to make someone feel better, and give their brain a few hits of happy dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins to help them in their journey.

How to make someone feel better and find their balance again

If you want to make someone feel better and help them out of an emotional rut, take it slow, and don’t try to shake them up *at the risk of them shutting you out*. Instead, use these steps and ways, and help them in a way they’d want to be helped.

1. Talk to them

Of course, the most obvious and important thing to do to help someone who feels sad is to talk to them.

Sit them down and tell them you are here to listen to them and help them talk through whatever is upsetting them. Sometimes just being a good listener is all you really need to do. [Read: 10 ways to be a better listener]

2. Buy them a thoughtful gift

Buying a thoughtful present for someone when they feel down in the dumps is a cute way to let them know you are thinking of them.

It could be something fun and silly or something they always wanted, but getting a gift when they are sad works wonders at making them feel better!

3. Take them on a friend date

Really spoil them by taking them out for a night on the town, to a spa for some pampering, or just out for dinner.

Going on an evening out helps distract them from whatever is troubling them and really gets their mind off things. It reminds them they can still have fun too!

4. Send them a cute text

Reaching out to them via text is a quick and easy way to check if they are okay and cheer them up.

Just knowing people are thinking of them and that they care about them helps someone going through a tough time. [Read: Life’s a bitch? 17 feel-good ways to make yourself feel better]

5. Send them flowers

If you’re wondering how to make someone feel better even if you aren’t around them, flowers are pretty much guaranteed to cheer anyone up.

Subtly find out what their favorites are and send them a bunch. The pretty blooms bring a cheer to any room and keep them feeling positive no matter what has happened.

6. Get drunk with them

Okay, this might be an adults-only one. If you want to make someone feel better, sometimes going out for a good night out and a few drinks is the perfect way to really talk it out and take their mind off their worries! [Read: How to sober up fast: 12 quick ways to go from sloshed to alert]

7. Be okay with silence

It’s important to remember that sometimes people don’t want to talk. They just need someone to sit with them in silence.

If what they are going through is really hard then there might simply be no words to comfort them. In which case, being with them demonstrates you are there, without forcing them to talk when they don’t want to.

8. Go for a walk

Getting out into the fresh air and getting some exercise really helps put things in perspective. Walking somewhere beautiful instantly the spirits.

It’s a good way to talk and the exercise releases endorphins which naturally makes them feel better too! [Read: Best friend bucket list: 15 adventures for you and your BFF]

9. Show them you support them

Sometimes your friends and family just need you to support them. Maybe they feel sad because they feel like a failure, or they don’t know what they are doing with their life. This is where you come in to be their biggest fan. Show them just how much you support them in everything they do!

10. Write them a letter

If you aren’t great with deep and meaningful conversations face to face, then why not write them a letter? Truly show them how much you care and let your feelings be known.

11. Have a sleepover

Why not have some good, old fashioned fun with a sleepover? Get your duvets in the living room, order some pizza, have popcorn at the ready and just watch movies, chat, and relax! [Read: 32 Awesome sleepover ideas for a fun night with friends]

12. Cook for them

Cooking them dinner shows you are making an effort to make them feel better and cheer them up. They are sure to appreciate it!

13. Give them a hug

Sometimes a good hug helps someone feeling sad more than you can possibly imagine. If you know someone is feeling sad, hugging it out is really comforting. Or, just put your arm around them or hold their hand. Physical contact can be very reassuring. [Read: I just want to be loved: Unlikely reasons for feeling this way]

14. Look them in the eye

Make sure that when they talk to you, you look them in the eye. Direct eye contact is important to show you really hear them. The worst thing for a sad person to feel is as though they are being ignored.

15. Forgive them

If the reason your friend feels sad is because you had a fight, maybe it is time to forgive them and make up!

16. Don’t interrupt

If they do choose to open up to you, remember to let them speak until they are done. You might feel the need to interrupt, but try not to. They just need to get their feelings out and to be heard. Make sure you don’t speak until they are done. [Read: 10 Ways to be a better listener in your relationship]

17. Empathize with them

While you might not agree with everything they say, sometimes people just need someone to agree with them. Even if they are being irrational! Just nod and agree. That way you show them the empathy and understanding they’re sure to appreciate.

18. Make them laugh

If you want to make someone feel better, remember that there is no better antidote to sadness then laughter. Tell them lots jokes. Do that silly dance that cracks them up, or do whatever you need to do to get them laughing once more! [Read: How to smile more often: 6 steps to change your life]

19. Do a challenge together

If they feel a bit lost, why not sign up for a challenge together? If this isn’t your cup of tea, set some aims and goals that you can achieve and work towards together. It helps them get back on track.

20. Take up a hobby

Distraction is an excellent way to stop someone from wallowing in their misery. Why not try taking up a hobby together and see if this can get their mind off their problems?

21. Plot a revenge

If the reason they are sad is because someone hurt or upset them, be it a colleague, a friend, or a partner, then why not sit with them and plot their revenge? You don’t have to act on it, of course, but allowing them to get a little angry instead of sad sometimes helps! [Read: How and why to get revenge on someone – 20 very healthy and effed up ways]

22. Be truthful

Honesty is sometimes the best policy. Remember to be truthful with your friend and help them to see things clearly.

Sometimes being honest feels harsh if they feel sad. Yet, doing so helps them get over their troubles much faster. You’ll continue to be the person they turn to for honest advice time and time again!

23. Ask them what they need

Ask them what they need from you to feel better. They’ll probably tell you that they don’t need anything, but persevere and it will come out in the end!

As long as what they ask you to do isn’t against your morals and doesn’t feel wrong to you, do what you need to do.

24. Show up and surprise them

Sometimes a spontaneous surprise is all it takes to put a smile back on someone’s face and help them feel better.

Turn up on their doorstep when you know they’re not doing anything, and tell them you’re taking them out for ice cream. Then, head out and do your best to make them forget their worries. [Read: 18 Ways to become more spontaneous in life]

25. Tell them how great they are

Sometimes a few carefully placed compliments can really do the trick in cheering someone up.

“You’d look great in that dress”, or “your hair looks amazing like that”, could be all it takes to make them feel good about themselves. Then, they might find it easier to kick their worries away.

26. Do a yoga class together

Yoga is fantastic for health and wellbeing. It’s also ideal for boosting positive thinking. Head to a yoga class together and see if it makes a difference.

If nothing else, you’ll laugh at your attempts to try and get into the poses!

27. Play a fun prank

Make sure that the prank isn’t anything that is going to upset them or make them feel embarrassed. Playing a joke on someone who is feeling down can go either way, but if you’re careful with what you choose, it might make them laugh aloud. That’s therapy in itself! [Read: 12 types of humor and how it affects relationships]

28. Burn away some frustration!

Encourage your friend to grab some *not special* plates and smash them. Head into the nearest field and both scream at the top of your lungs. Do something that helps them to burn off some frustration and anger. You’ll probably feel better for it too.

29. Make them a handmade gift

It doesn’t have to be anything too intricate – a friendship bracelet or a collage of your favorite photographs together could do it.

When someone takes the time to make a gift with their hands, it’s incredibly moving and helps you to see beyond your troubles.

30. Create a gratitude diary together

Sit down and both come up with a list of 5 things you’re grateful for. Then, every day you both need to add something new to the list.

At the end of every week, come together and look at your lists. You’ll both soon see how much you have to be grateful for and it could help to lift them out of their funk. [Read: How to be grateful – 20 authentic ways to appreciate and express it]

Should you learn how to make someone feel better over text?

We live in a technological age and we do most of our communicating online. So, should you attempt to make someone feel better over text or save it for face-to-face meetings?

This one is tough. Sending a funny meme or gif will probably make them smile for a few seconds during the day. Will it lift them out of their worries completely? Probably not. Yet, every little bit helps!

If you want to make someone feel better over text, know that you can try, but it’s best to do it in person. You can certainly learn how to make someone feel better over text, but it’s best to keep it to a minimum.

The best ways? Gifs, memes, funny jokes, or pictures you’ve found on your phone that you want to cheer them up with.

The odd cute message will also hit the right spot, but learning how to make someone feel better over text shouldn’t include long paragraphs and drawn-out discussions. They’ll only feel worse and more tired as they sit down and type long paragraphs in return. [Read: Rules of texting – 15 unwritten texting rules you need to remember]

The point is that they pick up their phone, see a text from you and the contents make them smile for a moment. That’s how to make someone feel better over text.

If you send a long message telling them how you’re there for them and you care about them, that’s great, but it could easily be misunderstood or taken in a different way than what you intend. That’s the worry with any text message.

The best advice? Stick to fun and quick messages, and leave the other stuff for times when you’re face-to-face.

Why is it so hard to stop feeling sad?

Now that you know all the ways to help someone and make them feel better, you need to understand why it’s so hard and frustrating to get them out of their funk sometimes!

There are a few different reasons why it can be hard to stop feeling sad. First, as we mentioned before, sadness is caused by a decrease in the neurotransmitter serotonin. This chemical is responsible for regulating our mood, and when levels are low, we feel down. [Read: Dating someone with depression – The signs and truths you must know]

Exercise, sunshine, and the right kind of supplements can help.  But all said and done, it can be difficult to find the motivation or energy to engage in these activities when you are feeling down.

And sometimes, sadness is just a symptom of a larger problem. If your friend or partner is dealing with anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue, it can be difficult to stop feeling sad however much they try to motivate themselves. In these cases, it is important to seek professional help.

And finally, it’s no secret that life can be a struggle, filled with stress and anxiety at every turn. Whether we are navigating the complex social landscape of middle school or trying to keep up with our busy schedules as adults, it seems like there is always something causing us to feel sad and overwhelmed! [Read: Emotional stability and the factors that control life’s highs and lows]

We can point to the powerful influence of peer pressure or the seemingly constant demands of modern life. Or you could also claim that it is simply human nature to feel down sometimes, or that we are simply wired to experience intense emotions like sadness in response to life’s challenges.

In reality, usually, the main culprit behind our inability to shake off feelings of sadness is often stress and anxiety. Whether we realize it or not, chronic stress has a vast impact on our ability to regulate emotion effectively, leaving us unable to escape from feelings like sorrow and grief. [Read: 24 sad signs of emotional neglect in a relationship]

So if you know someone who is struggling with bouts of depression and melancholy, remember that they can come out of it *even if it feels frustrating being around them at times!*, even the strongest and bravest among us have trouble coping with life’s stresses at times.

But by implementing healthy lifestyle habits like exercise and meditation and reaching out for support when they need it, you can help someone start feeling better today!

[Read: How to cheer someone up – 18 ways to help them feel awesome again]

Being there for someone when they go through a hard time is so important! Make sure you support your loved ones. When they feel blue, try these tips on how to make someone feel better and how to make someone feel better over text, and put a smile back on their face!

The post 30 Touching Ways to Make Someone Feel Better & Help a Sad Friend is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.