Friends are people who you have something in common with and spend good and bad times with. You can have lots of fun and friends and they will also help you when things get tough.
We make many different friends all through our life and you will find you will make new friends as time moves on.
Who do you call a friends at the moment? That can be a tricky question, because maybe since your accident you feel that you don’t have as many friends as you used to. Maybe you made new friends in hospital or maybe you are finding it hard to make friends now. Maybe you don’t have any friends or maybe you just want to be left alone.
Old friends
Your old friends might have come to see you in hospital although sometimes this may be too difficult for them and you might not have seen them at all. Try not to , there is probably a very good reason why they couldn’t come and see you
Sometimes when you get out of hospital, your old friends might not know how to talk to you. This can be very complicated and there can be all sorts of reasons for this. It’s important to have someone you can talk about your feelings too. If you find your old friends are difficult to talk to, try talking to a parent or a teacher.
Making new friends in hospital
It sounds strange but hospital can sometimes be a really good place to make friends. When you were recovering on the ward you may have started to make new friends. You can become really close in hospital because you are all sitting around and waiting to get better. People often stay in touch when they leave hospital and go home.
Friends at school
Going back to school can be a difficult. You may find that people you used to call a friend don’t seem to really know you or want to play with you anymore. This can be really tough but there are things that can be done to help.
Making new friends after an ABI
You may find it harder to make friends since your ABI. Your teachers and support workers can help here too. Here are some things which might help at school:
Get the teachers to talk to the other children: If your classmates know what happened to you, they might try and help more when you get back.
Buddy system: Ask the teacher if they can find you a buddy. Someone who can look out for you and make sure that you are being included by your classmates. This can make it easier for the other children to talk to you.
Circle of friends: This is like having lots of buddies who can help you with all sorts around school.