Depression can be a hard thing for someone to have to go through. It can also be hard for the depressed person’s family and friends to have to see a person they care about suffer with depression. If you know someone who is depressed or has been feeling down lately, here are a few things you can do that might help them.
Listen to the depressed person. Ask them if they would like to talk about their feelings. See if the depressed person would like to vent about something. Be there for them and give them your full undivided attention. Show them that you care by listening.
You might want to help them to find or refer them to a counselor, psychologist or therapist who might be able to help them with talk therapy. Sometimes talking to a professional may give them comfort in knowing that the professional has experience dealing with patients who suffer from depression.
Make sure that you do not say anything hurtful or critical to them. Do not let them feel as if they are a burden or that they are making other people upset by being depressed. Depression is an illness and should be treated just like any other illness, whether it be physical or mental. When someone has a bad cold or the flu, you want to help them and be at their aid. You do not let the person feel as though they are a burden because they have the flu, so make sure that you treat depression just as you would any other illness.
Hug them. Giving a depressed person a hug might temporarily lift their spirits. Sometimes when people are feeling so low, a loving act of affection from someone else can help them to feel a little better. Some people with depression feel unloved or that people just don’t care. Giving someone who is depressed a hug shows them that you care with your actions. Remember, sometimes actions can speak louder than words.
Encourage them to exercise. For some people who are severely depressed, this might be hard to do. Depression can cause a loss of energy, fatigue and extreme tiredness, more so in those who are severely depressed. Therefore, it may be hard for the severely depressed person to motivate themselves to do any physical activity. Exercise will help them both physically and mentally, if they have the motivation to get up and do it. You could offer to go for a walk with them or maybe put on some music and dance or do some jumping jacks to get their body moving. A little bit of exercise each day or every other day might help to improve their mood.
Don’t expect the depressed person do to everything that they used to. Depressed people often slow down, sometimes some with severe depression even quit their jobs. You can encourage them to get out and do things but do not get frustrated with them if they can’t. Depression is an illness and it may cause the person to lose interest in activities or things they once got pleasure from. It may also cause a lack of motivation and make the person feel as though just want to rest a lot.
Support from friends and family can help the depressed person. Some depressed people have low self esteem and feel unloved. Having a loving support system can help ease the symptoms of depression and possibly help the person to overcome it quicker.
Could the person you know be depressed because they are lonely? Try visiting them often or calling them on the phone. Send them a greeting card and tell them that you are thinking of them. Reach out to them and let them know that someone out there cares about them and wants to be involved in their life. Loneliness can cause a person to feel depressed.
If someone who know is depressed and talking about suicide, find and call a suicide hotline or professional for treatment if you think they are at risk. Suicidal feelings and thoughts are very common for those who are depressed. Some people say they want to die because they feel so low and hopeless and they want to end the pain and suffering that depression can bring. It is understandable for someone to feel that way. Offer them positive support, a listening ear, encouragement, affection and care. Give the person some hope, maybe you could write down a few inspirational quotes and tell them to look at the quotes when they are feeling so low.
Try humor. Is there anything you can do to make the person laugh? Sometimes it’s hard for a person who is depressed to find amusement and entertainment in things that they used to like. Maybe though, you know a joke that they like or some kind of funny story that would help to brighten their spirits.
Whatever you do, always do it with compassion and understanding. Caring support from others is just one way that a person with depression might get better.
