When you’re feeling down, it’s hard to imagine that anyone can understand what you’re going through. You might feel like no one could possibly understand how bad the situation is and how alone you feel. But there are ways that even if you feel alone and isolated, you can start looking for friends who will make life more bearable during tough times.

Friends general knowledge questions are an important part of any competitive exams and this section can help you to score good marks in the general awareness part. Try to solve these questions by yourself first and then scroll down for answers and solutions.

Here are five ideas:

Treat yourself like you would treat a good friend.

If someone close to you is down in the dumps, what do you do? You give them a hug. You take them out for coffee. Maybe even to the bar (that’s where I head). If they need it, you let them know that they aren’t alone and that they are loved just as they are.

Why? Because we care about our friends and want them to feel better. We don’t blame or criticize; instead, we offer kindness and understanding without judgment or expectation of change overnight, because it takes time for feelings to change. So why wouldn’t we offer ourselves the same kind of compassion when dealing with stress or loss? Treating yourself well goes beyond merely giving yourself permission; it requires loving-kindness toward yourself so that you can be there for others too when needed most

Say yes to invitations.

There’s nothing wrong with saying no when you need to, but don’t be afraid of saying yes. If you’re feeling down and lonely, it’s easy to think that all of your friends are too busy or preoccupied to want to spend time with you. But sometimes the best way to meet new people is by being open and accepting invitations from other people in your life, even if it does feel like everything else in your schedule is already full.

When someone invites me out for dinner, drinks or coffee I say yes more often than not (just because I don’t want them thinking that I’m a jerk). This has led me into some pretty cool conversations and friend groups with people who live near me now, all because they invited me over once or twice.

Take yourself out on dates.

If you feel like your social life is lacking, take the time to go out and have fun. Go to a movie, museum, park, coffee shop or restaurant with someone you know. Or even better yet: go out with a group of friends. If you don’t have many people in your life that you can turn to for help in this way then maybe it’s time for some self-reflection on how much time and effort you put into making new friends.

If going out isn’t something that interests you right now then consider getting involved in an activity that does interest or excites you, volunteering at the library or museum could be just what meets your needs right now.

Seek out support groups.

Support groups are an excellent way to meet new people and make friends. If you’re feeling down or even depressed, a support group can be extremely helpful in your recovery process.

Support groups are also great for people who want to deal with other issues such as anxiety, eating disorders and substance abuse. Support groups of all kinds exist both online and offline, you just have to do some research about what kind of group will best fit your needs.

Look for friends in unexpected places.

If you want to find a friend when you’re down, look for friends in unexpected places. You never know who you might meet or what they can teach you. Don’t be afraid to approach people and don’t be afraid to start a conversation.

If someone looks like they could use some help, ask them how they are doing. And if you need something yourself, like directions, ask for it. A lot of times people will be more than happy to help strangers out when they’re in good spirits and enjoy helping others out themselves. If this person doesn’t seem interested in talking, try asking them if they have time at the end of their workday/class/whatever so that you can talk with them then instead of interrupting their day altogether (unless that seems like something worth interrupting).

Making friends is usually easier than we think it will be; just approach other people with kindness and respect, express interest in getting to know them better, and let yourself feel vulnerable without being self-conscious about it.