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What does it mean to be a friend?

What does it mean to teach our young people about friendship?

What happens when friendship meets mental illness for the first time?

For many young people, the first time they see mental illness, it’s in their friends.

They see it when exam stress causes panic attacks, or when  their friend disappears at lunch time each day.

They might see it when their friend is crying in the school toilets for the third time that week, or when they ask about the marks ill-concealed by layers of bangles.

So how can we support the whole group? How can we encourage friendship, not guardianship?

And how do we even begin to bring Jesus into the picture?

It seems the only way, is to look to the scriptures and see the radical friendship that Jesus modelled.

It’s not about becoming their counsellor or carer, it’s about showing them that a mental illnesses doesn’t exclude them from friendship.

I think that one of the most beautiful examples of friendship and companionship is found as Jesus walked the Emmaus Road with Cleopas.

Luke 24:13-32 describes as Jesus comes alongside Cleopas at his lowest.

The words ‘We had hoped’ speak of utter desperation. And in the midst of it, Jesus walks, he listens, he opens the scriptures and he shows them his vulnerability as he breaks bread and shows his scars.

This is the friendship we can model to our young people and encourage them to seek in their own friendships. Friendships which leaves no room for stigma, sees beyond diagnoses and which shows vulnerability.

To mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week which is focusing on mental health and relationships, ThinkTwice are running a #BeAFriend campaign.

We aren’t all called to be psychiatrists or mental health experts, this isn’t about giving our friends therapy, but we are called to love one another as we’ve been loved.

We’re called to show friendship. The kind that made a Samaritan reach through boundaries of society to help a Jew and the kind that called the hated Zaccheaus down from a tree.

So this week, we want to encourage you and your young people to get involved with our #BeAFriend campaign.

We’re asking that you tweet or Facebook ideas on how you can be a friend to someone with a mental health condition and take action! It can be anything; from making them smile by using your 2-for-1 Frappuccino, inviting someone round, asking how you can help them out or offering to help them out with their revision.

We want to remind people that we don’t need degrees or social work qualifications to help someone who is struggling with their mental health; you just need to be able to listen and walk alongside people.

It might help if this week as a group you take a look at how Jesus invited the outcasts in, or see what the Bible has to say about mental health. Whatever it is, this is a week to get talking about mental health, because it affects us all; whether as a friend, child, parent or sufferer.

"Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow

Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead

Walk beside me… just be my friend"

Albert Camus

To join the campaign, visit Think Twice on Facebook, tweet them at @ThinkTwiceInfo, or follow them on Instagram at @ThinkTwiceInsta using the #BeAFriend #MHAW16