9 Ways to Help Someone Suffering from Depression

Medicine has officially recognized depression as a disease for some time, but it is still normal for people to be afraid to look at it head on, especially when we are talking about someone in our family. However, doctors say that the support of relatives and friends is essential to fight this problem that affects so many people.

We decided to do a little more research on this subject and we bring below some of the most effective methods to help a person suffering from depression. Read carefully and be sure to help someone who is in this situation.

And don’t forget: to determine if you, in fact, have the problem, it’s important to diagnose yourself with a specialized professional.

But let’s go to tips to help those who suffer from the problem.

These days there are many books and articles on the Internet that offer proven and up-to-date information about the different types of depression, their development and symptoms. Studying this information is essential to understand the best way to help a person.

Depression drastically changes a person’s behavior, making them more sensitive, more aggressive, more complaining and so on. It is important to understand that these signs are a manifestation of the disease, and not a permanent change in its character. By looking at the situation this way, you won’t be offended and you’ll look at any misunderstandings from another perspective. This will strengthen communication and speed up the person’s recovery.

Although many people, when depressed, want to be alone, the ideal is that this does not happen. But you don’t have to fight to improve her mood; ideally, ask questions about important topics. This will make her feel important and may also help her better understand the causes of the problem.

Questions worth asking:

When did you first feel this way🇧🇷
Are there things, words or themes that make your condition worse? Do you have thoughts related to suicide? Is there anything that makes you feel better?

We have already discussed in other posts how to identify depression and how to differentiate a malaise related to a change of season from depression. Depression is a disease that requires treatment by a specialist. Often a person cannot overcome the fear of talking to a doctor. What to do? Go with her. This can be a big help because:

1) You know better than the doctor the peculiarities of the person’s behavior and may be able to explain more clearly to him what has been happening, helping in the elaboration of a clinical picture.

2) In the presence of a family member or friend, it may be easier for the person to trust the doctor and talk openly with him.

3) It is not always easy to find a really good specialist. Many times, the person is in such bad shape that they cannot know if they are in front of a really professional specialist.

4) After listening to the specialist’s recommendations, you can help the person to follow the recommendations, without letting the person give up.

Relatives of people with depression tend to diminish their feelings, accuse them of being dramatic and of experiencing emotions in an excessively intense way. This type of behavior can be very dangerous and end up making the person close in on themselves, aggravating the problem.

What you do:

1) Understand that the other person’s feelings are real and need to be respected.

2) If behave with care and cautionespecially when talking about sensitive subjects.

3) Don’t avoid complicated topics or dismiss them.

Thinking that going to a party or a bar is the best way to deal with depression is a serious mistake. Depression is not a state of apathy that can be improved by new experiences.

What you should do:

1) Study what kind of activity really helps the other person feel better🇧🇷

2) Don’t pressure the other person: if she doesn’t want to leave, don’t insist.

3) Be careful with your mood: on ‘good’ days, the possibility that the person wants to go out to see people is much greater.

According to psychotherapists, the best thing is to do activities such as walks in nature or others related to creativity, such as light physical exercise, taking care of animals or playing. This all helps to fight depression.

Household chores like cleaning, paying bills, washing dishes and so on become a huge burden for someone with depression. If the person doesn’t want to get out of bed, try helping them with these small tasks for a while. Be the support she needs.

If you can’t be there, try to help in another way, but be sure to show that you’re always willing to show up if needed.

Staying with a depressed person all day knocks anyone down. Perhaps you feel drained at the end of the day. To avoid burnout and to not confuse your emotions with the other person’s emotions, maintain your identity.

What you should do:

1) In addition to taking care of the other person, be sure to satisfy your own needs.

two) Don’t forget to go out with your friends and look for happy things to do.

3) Eliminate feelings of guilt for being happy (this happens too often).

A person can take years to treat a depressive condition. It varies a lot, but the disease is curable, yes. With the support of friends, family, a therapist, and the right medicine, everything can work out.

It is important to remind the person that not everything is bad. You need to remember that a depressed person does not understand that their perception of the world changes because of the illness. She thinks everything is wrong, that people are hostile and so on. It is through family, friends and the doctor that optimism will reappear.

Have you ever needed to support someone with depression? Do you know of other methods that might help?