How To Help And Support Someone With Depression
How do you help and support someone with depression? Find out how to help a depressed person.
The most important thing anyone can do for someone with depression is to help him or her get an appropriate depression diagnosis and treatment for depression. This may involve encouraging the individual to stay with treatment until the symptoms of depression begin to abate , or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs.
On occasion, it may require making an appointment and accompanying the depressed person to the doctor. It may also mean monitoring whether the depressed person is taking medication. The depressed person should be encouraged to obey the doctor’s orders about the use of alcoholic products while on medication.
Where To Get Help For Depression
A complete psychological diagnostic evaluation will help decide what type of depression treatment might be best for the person. If you need to locate a psychologist or psychiatrist, you can contact the Psychological Association or Medical Society in your county or state to receive a referral. You can also get a referral from your family doctor, county mental health association or local psychiatric hospitals.
APA ReferenceTracy, N. . How to Help and Support Someone with Depression, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2022, October 29 from https://www.healthyplace.com/depression/support/how-to-help-and-support-someone-with-depression
When Should I Seek Professional Help
If the symptoms of depression your loved one is experiencing are having a damaging effect on their ability to live a normal life, it may be time to seek professional help. Encourage them to speak to their GP, who can offer you professional advice on arresting symptoms.
With the blessing of your loved one, you might also seek depression treatmenthere at Priory, where we can work with your loved one to develop a recovery programme that fits their needs and circumstances. We offer intensive inpatient stays, weekly therapy sessions that fit in with the life and work commitments of our patients, and online therapy that allows you to recover from the comfort of your own home.
You dont have to struggle with depression expert, established treatment is available. To find out how Priory can help your loved one to overcome your depression and return to a positive way of life, call our dedicated team today on 0800 840 3219 or make an enquiry.
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Mental Health Services Are Available From Telus Health
Dr. Lephuong Ong is one of many dedicated clinicians working on the TELUS Health team for the TELUS Health Care Centres, where in-person appointments with psychologists and other mental health professionals are available in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. If you would prefer to speak with someone by video chat, virtual appointments with counsellors are available throughTELUS Health MyCare in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec.
Signs That Someone You Know May Be Depressed
If someone you know is depressed, they might not be the first to know it. Symptoms can creep up very gradually, and they might not realise that their mood, routine or behaviour has changed. Men in particular are less likely to recognise depression or seek help for it than women. Often its a partner, family member or friend who spots the signs. But what should you look for?
Although depression can affect people in different ways, and there are different levels of severity, common symptoms of depression include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness and low mood
- Feeling hopeless or helpless
- Lack of interest in sex
- Having thoughts about suicide or self-harm
If youve noticed any of these signs in your partner, family member, friend or colleague, its possible that theyre suffering from depression. But what should you do about it?
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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
We can all help prevent suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. Call 1-800-273-8255 to get help on mental health advice.
What You Can Do For Yourself
Supporting someone with depression is challenging. Part of the challenge is witnessing a loved one’s struggle and knowing you cannot complete the path for that person. Understand that emotions such as frustration, helplessness or anger may be natural responses to a loved one having depression.
Practice acceptance and coping with difficult emotions by permitting yourself to prioritize your mental health. Devote time for hobbies, meaningful experiences, physical activity and other valued relationships.
Erik Wing, Ph.D., practices psychology in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.
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Be Realistic About Your Expectations
Dealing with depression is exhausting, and it can make something even as small as taking a shower seem insurmountable, which means its essential to be realistic about your expectations when it comes to how someone manages their mental health. Doing a load of laundry and putting it away could be a huge achievement for someone struggling with depression, and its important not to negate these triumphs as just being normal things. Even those who are actively dealing with their depression will face setbacks, as depression is the same as any recovery process in that its not linear. You may wonder during these times whether your friend will be OK or what is a normal life difficulty and what requires intervention, but the best thing you can do to support someone with depression is to keep the lines of communication open. This way you are aware of whats going on and the other person has the best chance of feeling comfortable talking to you about it.
Educate Yourself On Depression
You will be better able to help someone with depression if you learn more about it. There are several resources, both online and through doctors and hospitals, that can provide you with more information about what depression is, what causes it and how to help someone who has it. By understanding what depression is and how it makes you feel, you will be better able to empathize with someone who has it.
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What Not To Say And Why
I know exactly how you feel.Why? Because no one knows exactly how anyone else feels. This is not a helpful way to make someone feel understood when their depression has become overwhelming.
Everyone gets depressed sometimes.Why? Because it sounds dismissive and its not true. Everyone gets sad sometimes or has a bad day. Everyone does not get depressed.
You have no reason to be depressed.Why? Because it can make people feel guilty, ashamed, or like their feelings dont count. Life events can sometimes play a role, but depression often has no specific reason, trigger, or cause.
Hang in there. It will pass.Why? Because its unhelpful and untrue. Chances are, theyve been feeling this way for some time, and it hasnt gotten better and thats why theyre asking for support.
Dont be so negative. Think happy thoughts.Why? Because if it was that simple, depression wouldnt exist. This statement implies that depression is a choice which is false. You cant just will or wish it away.
How To Help Someone With Depression Who Wont Talk
Everyone has had a bad day, been in a bad mood or experienced a difficult time in their lives, but this isnt the same as being depressed. And if youve never experienced a major depressive disorder, it can be very difficult to understand how it affects everything in your life and can make even the smallest tasks difficult. Some common, but not so helpful ways, people may try to cheer up a depressed person include telling them the situation isnt as bad as it seems, acting as if they can just magically get out of depression with the right playlist or a walk around the block or trying to commiserate too much and end up enabling the person into even more negative behaviors.
While these are all usually done out of concern for your loved one, it can be very frustrating when people with depression arent getting better. The truth is that depression is isolating and can be a very complex mental health condition. It requires a combination of various therapeutic techniques and often medication to start seeing an improvement in symptoms of depression.
However, this doesnt mean that you cant still be of help. Here are some ideas on how to help a friend with depression.
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Letting The Person Know You’re There
Understand The Downward Spiral Of Depression
Gaining perspective on what your loved one is experiencing can be critical to the support process. Visualizing depression as a downward spiral is one way to simplify and understand clinical depression.
The downward spiral may begin with the person feeling worse than usual from physical, social or psychological stressors. A worsened mood may lead to taking part in fewer meaningful day-to-day activities. Self-criticism and stress increase due to mounting responsibilities or missed opportunities. Depressive thinking may encompass guilty thoughts, pessimism and irritable behavior.
As the spiral develops, a complex dynamic emerges. Your loved one becomes increasingly stressed while simultaneously less capable of coping with this stress. The response of the brain to this dynamic is to slow, stop and depress. A person can get stuck at the bottom of the spiral for weeks, months or years.
The silver lining is that if people can spiral down, they can spiral back up. However, depression affects the motivation, energy and curiosity needed to spiral up.
It’s disheartening that you can’t fix a loved one’s depression or spiral up for them. But you can help them get started and continue moving on an upward path.
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Encourage Them To Seek Help
While there are several different treatments for those with depression that can be very helpful, depression treatment can never begin if a person doesnt seek help. If you have a friend or family member living with depression, encourage them to seek treatment and do what you can to help them take the first step. Without professional intervention, they will be less likely to recover from their depression.
Antidepressants Can Help Treat Adhd Depression And Anxiety
Antidepressants that primarily affect norepinephrine and dopamine can help alleviate ADHD and anxiety symptoms. Medical providers may suggest an antidepressant for ADHD if the person cannot take stimulants because of a heart condition or drug dependency issues.
Antidepressants that elevate norepinephrine and dopamine include
- NDRIs like bupropion
- SNRIs like desvenlafaxine duloxetine levomilnacipran milnacipran venlafaxine
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What To Do If Someone Is Suicidal
If you discover a person is suicidal, dont keep the information secret, even if you were asked not to tell. You can let them know that plans for suicide are far too serious to be kept secret.
If the threat of self-harm is imminent, you should call emergency services immediately. If the suicide plan is for the future or still theoretical, then offer to help them make an appointment with a mental health professional. Find the appropriate suicide hotline numbers, and offer to sit with them if they want to call one.
Finally, try to organise a support network. For example, what friends and family will be willing to call or visit this person? Is there someone else they might like to confide in?
Listen To What They Have To Say
People with depression can often feel isolated and find it hard to talk about their depression. Be willing to talk openly with your loved one about their feelings and listen to what they have to say. This will show them that no matter what they might be going through and how negative everything may feel to them, they are loved and valued.
Its also important to be an active listener and really immerse yourself in the conversation. Use verbal and non-verbal prompts during the conversation, maintain eye contact throughout, and regularly paraphrase what your loved one says back to them to clarify meaning and demonstrate that you have understood them. This will make opening up to you as easy and natural as possible for your loved one, making it more likely that theyll confide in you in the future if they need to.
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What To Do If Your Friend Has Suicidal Thoughts
If you are concerned your friend may harm themselves,dont dismiss your gut. Instead:
- Pay attentionto anything said about suicide, other forms of self-harm or a world thatdoesnt include them.
- Keep the lines of communication openso they know they can talk to you when they have these feelings.
- Encourage themto get professional help.
That help may include outpatient therapy and psychotropic medications prescribed by their primary care doctor or a psychiatrist. If you think your friend is in immediate danger, call 911 or take your friend to the nearest emergency department.
Remember: Your friends situation is not hopeless. Like other illnesses, depression can be treated with the right medical help and the support of friends like you.
Help Your Loved One Get Treatment For Depression
Somebody with depression may need help seeking care, both because of a sense of stigma or shame and because their illness makes it harder for them to manage tasks like finding a mental health provider or scheduling an appointment. Suggesting that you can do these things for them, remind them when the appointment is coming up, and accompany them to the visit can help them get treatment sooner rather than later.
If theyre hesitant to see a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, see if theyre willing to visit their primary care doctor, especially if this is someone they already know well and trust, Thienhaus says. Although its best to see someone specializing in mental health, the important part is getting connected to some form of help when needed.
You may also have to rethink the words you use to talk about depression treatment because different people may have distinct ways of viewing the condition, Thames says. Some people, for example, may not know to use the word depressed to describe how they feel, and might instead perceive their symptoms as being stressed out or not myself, for example.
Matching the language that the person can identify with is important when attempting to intervene, Thames says.
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What To Say To Someone Who Is Suicidal
The response when someone is suicidal can be very similar to depression. Demonstrate empathy and understanding, and do not dismiss or criticise their feelings. For many, suicide feels like a selfish decision, and your first instinct may be to express dismay or anger.
You may even accidentally say things that might induce guilt, such as, you have such a great life how could you think about suicide? Take some time to prepare yourself before you engage in a discussion of suicide or suicidal thoughts.
Once prepared emotionally, what should you say? Unfortunately, the most critical task is to discover if they have a plan to commit suicide. It is ok to come out directly and ask if they are thinking of hurting themselves. This information, once gathered, will let you know if there needs to be immediate intervention.
As said before, if you feel they are in danger of hurting themselves contact emergency services, with or without their permission.
Secondarily offer acceptance and your time. Let them know you are on their side you understand this must feel scary. Offer to be there for them they should know they are not alone.
Understand And Accept Depression
Learning more about depression can help people deal with the condition. Depression is a widespread and genuine mental health disorder. It is not a sign of weakness or a personal shortcoming.
Accepting that a depressive episode may occur from time to time might help people deal with it when it does. Remember, it is possible to manage symptoms with treatments, such as lifestyle changes, medication, and therapy.
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