Would you tell your best friend to go to the doctor?

If your best friend was showing some worrying symptoms but hadn’t taken themselves off to see a doctor, what would you do?

Shrug your shoulders and say “oh well, it’s their choice”.

Force them into your car and taken them immediately to see your doctor?

You wouldn’t do either probably.  What we actually do – in fact what our friends expect us to do – is say something, but not push the issue. It is their choice at the end of the day to put up with the pain or take the risk that no treatment could be the worst thing in the world… but it is their choice.

Our obligation as best friends is to raise the issue and gently encourage them to get the symptoms seen to. 

Everyone is pretty much comfortable with that.  Everyone is usually comfortable to also advise their best friends on which phone to buy, which restaurants or shops are worth checking out, or even how to improve their driving skills.

Everyone finds themself in need of a bit of professional advice from time to time – whether that is a dentist, a doctor or a professional financial adviser.

When your best friends are showing any of these worrying symptoms encourage them to get a little professional help.  You should encourage friends to get a little bit of professional help when:

• They have really poor cash flow and are struggling to pay the bills when it seems like they have good jobs.
• Credit cards are getting maxed out
• They are often referring to money issues in conversations
• They’ve come into an inheritance and are unsure what to do
• They are going through relationship break-ups
• They are worried about financial advice they’ve been given previously
• They have tax payment issues
• They are selling assets and renting instead

These are typical examples of issues that friends to discuss, and they are classic “symptoms” that some professional advice might be in order.  There might NOT actually be a big problem looming… but there might be too. 

Do your friends a favour if they are showing worrying symptoms: encourage them to have a chat with your professional adviser on a “no obligation” basis, and we’ll check to see if there really are serious problems that need attention.