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Are you scared for your loved one?

Your support and encouragement can play a major role to help your loved one through depression. You can make a difference in their lives by helping them in recovering from depression and stress. Here’s how to help.

ABOUT DEPRESSION

Depression is a serious but treatable disorder. It not only causes pain to the person suffering but also everyone around them. When your loved one is in depression, he/she might experience a wide range of emotions. These emotions convinces the mind that situation is permanent. It might be hard to deal with such emotions of your loved ones at first. However, you need to be patient and compassionate.

Remember that your companionship can help someone to get better and feel safe. You can help them to cope up with sadness, fear, frustration. Moreover, they can retrieve the energy and pleasure of life. Start by knowing everything about depression: its symptoms and how it affects people. Keep yourself physically strong. Most importantly, be mentally strong because you will need it to provide full support and encouragement to your loved ones.

Depression: Causes and Risk Factors
Signs of Depression

RECOGNITION OF SYMPTOMS

It is very important to recognize the signs of depression. Therefore, never ignore any sign which is unusual or seems unusual which might include:

  • Sleeping less or oversleeping.
  • Loosing interest in talking with family members or friends.
  • Lacking energy.
  • Expressing negative outlook towards life.
  • Frequently complaining about everything.
  • Negatively conversing.
  • Eating less or overeating.

MANNER OF CONVERSATION

Being there

Sometimes, it may be tough to know what to say to your loved to help through depression. If you don’t know how to start the conversation, remember it’s not always about talking or giving advice. Often, it is more about trying to be a good listener. You do not necessarily have to solve their problems every time. Moreover, you just need to let them vent out.

Listening

Try to be as friendly and compassionate as possible. Listen to your friend or family member without any judgement. Assure the depressed person that you will hear them without interruption and any kind of judgment. When someone trusts you with something personal, let them talk. Even if it is the same story 10th time.

Being patient

Remember, being supportive means offering hope and motivation. Talk to them in the friendly manner and in the way which they will understand. Be gentle and patient while talking with them. They might get annoyed and lash out at you, but do not run out of patience and handle the situation gently.

Supplying positivity

Provide them with your unconditional love and support throughout the process. Always be there for them for every kind of assistance.

Encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle and have a routine. Motivate them to set short term goals and achieve them. Try to keep them occupied and don’t let them contemplate about things.

THE BASIC DON’Ts

Comparing struggles

Trauma is not comparable. Everyone has different stories, different problems and different paces at which they progress. Firstly, do not tell people their problems are not big. Secondly, do not generalize people’s problem when they share them. Lastly, do not call it a phase or something everyone goes through.

Invalidating feelings

Being privileged is not being devoid of struggles. People can be grateful of all they have and still can find hard to progress. It does not help when you tell them that they should not be feeling a certain kind of low or depressed because others might not even have what they have.

Discouraging words

Do not belittle the little steps of healing that people take. If you feel they are not growing, keep it to yourself. Don’t give your unkind opinions to people under “reality checks.”

Therapy Concepts Everyone Needs to Know | NAMI: National Alliance ...
Therapy with a Friend

PROFESSIONAL HELP

It’s important to talk about our feelings and mental health to help your loved one through depression. Therefore, encourage the same. However, understand the seriousness and optics of the situation. If there is something which you cannot control, encourage them to seek professional help.

Destigmatizing therapy

The depressed person might not agree for getting help from outside at first. In addition, they may believe that the situation is hopeless and is going to last forever. But you need to calm them and explain the benefits of seeking professional help.

Seeking help from outside is very important if the case extreme. It will help them in a better way. Firstly, encourage them to set up an appointment with the physician and be with them through the process. Help your loved one in in making appointments with the doctor, research treatment options and stay on the prescribed schedule.

In conclusion, your support, concern and encouragement can make your loved one’s life better. If you are looking for resources, listen to these podcasts to get a better understanding. You can also reach out to us to learn more about help. Above all, love your people unconditionally and be supportive throughout the process.


Mahak.Mittal

Mahak.Mittal

A self motivated individual with the inspiration to change and grow for better and become the person I always imagine myself becoming. A firm believer that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Good and bad.

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Divyanshi Muchhal
Divyanshi Muchhal
3 years ago

Absolutely loved it <3

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3 years ago

[…] OCD causes other mental illnesses such as anxiety (which is the immediate illness encountered) and depression (which is the deep-rooted effect of growing […]

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