10 Things To Say When Someone Is Sick (5 Things You Should Avoid Saying)

If you have been sick or you are witnessing someone not feeling their best, there are some people who don’t know what are the things they should say. The last thing that anyone wants is to end up offending someone when they are already struggling. Knowing the things to say when someone sick can definitely be the unsung savior that you didn’t know you needed.

For those awkward bunch in the back trying to formulate some sentences to help encourage better recovery for the one suffering, we have some nice things that you could possibly say, and some not to nice ones that are better avoided.

In here, we are going to share some of the words to say when someone is sick.

What to say when someone is sick?

Being sick is not at all a nice feeling, so having someone say nice things and motivational prospects can actually help contribute to faster healing and recovery.

If you have the habit of saying the generic phrase of “Let me know if you need anything”, it is time that you make some changes to that for good.

In here, we are going to share some of the things to say when someone is sick and help them through the rough journey of illness and recovery.

1. “Do you want me to stay for the test results?”

If you have someone who is being suspected for some ghastly medical condition like cancer and such, the last thing that you want to do is leave their side. Their state of mind is in a complete haywire, making them confused about everything surrounding them.

The constant rabbiting heart beat can cause them stress. In such situations, one amazing thing that you can do and suggest your friend or family is to ask them whether they need you to wait along during revealing the test results.

Nobody knows what the results will be but having someone as a support system does prove a lot handy in coping with the situation, in case there’s something wrong about the situation.

2. Let them know you love them

Another amazing word or gesture that you can show the sick person is to let them know that you love them. As weird as it might sound and as generic as it might sound, it does have amazing benefits that you don’t realize.

This is possibly one of the simplest things to do but has marvelous impacts in helping a sick person feel a little better about the situation that they are stuck in.

People who have experienced this first hand have suggested saying even when they have been diagnosed with some form of terminal disease, knowing that people love and appreciate them in this tough time serves as a beacon of light for them through the darkness.

Read: 12 Changes In Your Body When You Fall In Love – The Pleasure Island!

3. “I’ve been thinking about you”

If you know someone close to you who is sick and there’s something that you need to say, do something to show how much you care. Words often fail to convey what actions can.

Visiting them in the hospital is possibly one of the best ways to cope with the situation and help them know that you are there for them. While being inside the hospital, you can start a conversation suggesting that you have been thinking about them and have kept them in your prayers all throughout. This might seem very minimal but helps the sick person know that you value them.

Being in the hospital itself is a torture and you can ease that for them by just being there and being around. If you are struggling to say some nice things to say when someone is sick, show them instead.

Read: 7 Good Ways To Relieve Stress Naturally

4. “Do you want to vent?”

When you have a sick friend who is struggling every single day, the one thing that you can say to them is asking them whether they want to vent about the situation. Being sick and being unable to do things the normal way isn’t a good thing at all and one of the best ways to help support someone in such a situation is by asking them to vent out about the situation.

There are chances that your friend is struggling with the situation that has been thrust along their path. The best way to overcome the shortcomings is by allowing them to vent about the situation.

Telling them that you are all ears and are there to listen to them can further help ensure the best impacts for their mental health, thus helping keep their stress in check.

5. “Come over, I feel like cooking for you!”

When you have someone fall sick, cooking is possibly the last thing on their mind. If you have been wondering what to say when someone is sick that they will find encouraging, telling them to come over for lunch or dinner can be a nice start.

If that doesn’t work, you can prepare some food and take the same over to their house and eat there. This is in case the person isn’t doing well enough to commute. If you are cooking something, give them some preferences or ask them what they’d like to eat.

Since being sick affects your appetite, the last thing you want is to end up cooking something for them that they don’t feel like eating. Giving them choices doesn’t overwhelm them which are actually quite beneficial for their speedy recovery.

Read: 16 Soothing Remedies To Heal A Burn Fast At Home

6. “I am proud of how you are handling things”

When you have someone sick, if you are wondering of the things to say to them, start by telling them how proud you are of how they are handling things. This proves amazingly beneficial for the said individual and helps them cope with the situation a lot better.

The situation is not at all easy for them to go through or handle which is the reason why it is best that you encourage them to fight it more.

Letting them know that someone is proud of them and the way they are fighting things can further help being forth changes that you didn’t even think was possible.

7. “Do you want me to run an errand for you?”

If you want to lend a helping hand to someone who is sick, the best way to do that is by ensuring that you ask them if they have anything that they need to get done.

Being sick affects one’s overall schedule, making it tough to handle things around. So, if you want to show your support, one of the best ways to do that is by asking them if there is something that they need to get done. Additionally, you can also ask them if there’s anywhere that they would want you to take them.

Read: 15 Effective Ways To Be Fearless In Everything You Do

Letting them know that things can happen according to their schedule is a act of kindness that they possibly need during this tough time.

8. “Would you mind if I take your kids to play with mine?”

Having someone you know who is sick and has kids to handle is a very tough job. Being sick itself is a tedious task and handling the responsibility of kids to top that off can be a struggle. This is the reason why it is always amazing if you give them a break. Ask them whether they would mind if you took their kids round to play at yours.

This can get them the break they need and also pose as an act of kindness that they most definitely need for themselves during this tough time. It is important that you don’t bluntly say why you are taking the kids out because that can leave behind negative impression on their minds.

9. “I saw these flowers and thought they’d cheer you up”

Hospitals have a very mundane environment which is the reason why getting someone flowers when they are sick can be amazing for their mental health. Since they are already in so much stress, you want to do something to brighten their mood up.

When you are taking flowers, make sure that you don’t get something very overwhelming or two strong because those tend to have negative impacts on the health.

Instead, take some which have a mild and mellow scent but will help brighten up the surroundings so the patient doesn’t feel bad about being there.

While giving them the flowers, you can also say two words of affection saying that you picked up the flowers because of how much they reminded you of them. It is always in those small things that make all the difference that you have no idea about.

10. “I love you.”

When it comes to supporting someone through their sickness, the only thing that they need to hear are the words of encouragement and feel the love surrounding them. You need to make them feel loved through this rough journey.

While there are so many things that you could possibly say to them to make them feel better about the situation, the simplest thing that you can say that would have a lot of impact on their mental health is a simple I love you.

Knowing that there is someone waiting for them to fight through the sickness and come back to them in full health is enough of a marker for them to fight through the obstacles and come out strong in the end.

Read: Benefits of Love Affairs Before Marriage

What Not To Say When Someone Is Sick?

While there are a number of positive things that you could say to bless them with a better and faster recovery, there are some things that you could say unintentionally that could end up hurting them further.

Unintentionally, there are things that we end up saying to a sick person that we shouldn’t have. To help guide you on that and ensure that you don’t slip up those phrases, we have listed a few of them out for you to look into.

Read: 16 Ways To Get Your Mojo Back – Liven Your Spirit!

1. “I feel so bad about this”

Telling a sick person that you feel sorry for them and the situation is the last thing you want to do. The reason why that is the case is because it makes them feel even worse about their condition.

Even when they are trying to be strong and overcome this, a simple thing like this can end up making things a lot worse than you would expect. A sick person doesn’t need your sympathy but the encouragement that they can beat whatever it is that they are struggling with.

It is very important that you avoid saying things that showcase further signs of weakness.

2. “You look terrible being sick”

Trust me, anyone who’s sick or has been sick all this while knows for a fact that their appearance isn’t the best. Pointing the same out is the last thing that you need to do.

If you are visiting them to wish them a speedy recovery, that is exactly what you need to do and be gone. Telling them that their appearance has been looking weary and tired will further upset them more than they already are.

A sick person doesn’t need to know that they are looking hideous after all the treatment and the heavy drugs that they have been on. It is better to altogether skip out on any kind of comments when it comes to a patient.

Read: How To Remind Yourself That You Are Worthy? 17 Effective Tips That Work!

3. “Let me know how the results come out”

If you are witnessing someone being sick and wondering of the things not to say when someone is ill, telling them to convey the results is one of them. In case the results come out as something bad, the last thing that you want them is to relive the trauma telling you the results all over again.

For those worried, it is best that you either approach them a few days later on your own to get to know of the results or hit up someone from their family members to get to know about it.

If you find someone getting diagnosed with cancer, the last thing that they would want to do is tell about that to everyone. It is very important to be patient throughout the process.

Read: 10 Ways To Stop Emotional Manipulation – Prevent Getting Controlled

4. “How does the treatment feel like?”

How do you think it feels like? A very common question that people have is asking someone ill how their treatment feels like. Like, if you think that it feels like rainbows and butterflies, you are completely mistaken. It is very important that you do focus on finding better ways to ask them about their well being instead of asking about their treatment process.

If you have questions about the treatment, be tactful in the way you ask instead. Don’t be blunt and straightforward because that might even end up offending them.

Additionally, some patients don’t want to relieve the painful experience narrating about the treatment all over again. That isn’t something you want to do.

Read: 15 Steps To Forgive Yourself – You Deserve A Fresh Start

5. “I am so upset”

It is likely that you will tell the sick person that you are upset about their condition but trust me, they don’t need that from you as well. Nobody is living through the trauma like they are which is the reason why you being upset isn’t going to be of any help to them.

If you want something to say something instead, encourage them how well they are handling things. This does help out with the condition better than what you could possibly imagine around.

When it comes to the things to say when someone is sick and the things to avoid these are the most important ones. It is important that you are careful with your words and tell positive and encouraging things. It isn’t just about sympathy but showing their courage to battle through their condition and recover back to full health.