How can I help my friend with Cystic Fibrosis?

Hi,

I honestly don't know how to answer this one.

Firstly, is your friend being treated for depression, it is very common in CF, for the obvious reason it's a very hard condition to live with. Just when you think you've got on top of things, then your health can take a nose dive, and when you are in your ultimate of tiredness and just wanting to sleep, you have to muster up some energy to do triple the amount of treatments. It's hard and taxing on anyones emotions, including those close to you. A counsellor might be a good thing to suggest to your friend.

I think the most you can do to help, is just be there for him. Maybe talk to him about his support network and where he might get the emotional support he needs from. Try really hard to point out the good things in life, not obviously, just little things occasionally, get excited with him for little achievements he has made. Only do this though if he seems happy aboutt hose acheivements himself.

These are all things that help me, just positivity and knowing I'm doing things well sometimes just cheers me up a little inside, even on the bleakest of days. Obviously, not knowing your friend, these things might not be the same for him.

There are also support groups out there, forums that offer advice and support, and maybe that knowledge that there are others out there going through the same sort of stuff might help him find a way to deal with things in his own way. This forum is very quiet, there isn't much general chat that happens on here, but there are CF specific forums that are a lot busier with a variety of age groups.

www.cftrust.org.uk- is the home of the UK resgistered CF charity. It's forums are very busy, and even though it is UK based there are a few people who live abroad. It might be hard getting any advice about US specific problems on there, but general day to day CF life is talked about a lot.

I'm sure the CF Foundation had a forum too, though using google I can't seem to find it.

Hope some of this helps you help your friend
Feel free to keep quizing us about any information you think might help.

All the best
Gem