How to Help Someone in Depression – Best Tips to Support Your Loved One

Depression is a mental disorder that requires care and treatment. If your loved ones suffer from this mental state, there are a number of things that you can do to help them overcome this ordeal in a better way. Read this post and learn how to help someone close to you deal with depression.

How to Tell If a Person Is Suffering from Depression?

Sometimes those who suffer from depression or people in close to such people may not realise that they are battling with depression. Most people ignore or dismiss their depression thinking it to be a normal gush of anger or sadness. This may usually happen because there is a massive social stigma attached to people dealing with mental disorders. However, some of the following symptoms may help in establishing if someone is suffering this disorder:

• If a person experiences irritability or sudden anger outbursts.
• If a person experiences problem in making normal day to decisions, difficulty in concentrating or faces problem in thinking.
• If a person is engulfed with the thoughts of committing suicide or ending his life on a regular basis because depression and suicidal thoughts are closely related.
• If a person does not feel motivated or energised to do day to day chores.
• If a person experiences sudden weight gain or weight loss because of changed appetite.
• If a person experiences any kind of sleep disorders such as hypersomnia or insomnia.
• If a person experiences loss of interest in his life such as usual household chores, sexual activity, sports etc.
• If a person’s social and occupational functioning gets affected.

If some or all of these symptoms are observed over an extended period of time, it can be termed as depression. It is very important that immediate psychological attention is sought because depression seldom gets better on its own. Anti-depressive medication along with cognitive therapy may help in making the person feel better.

Effective Ways to Help Someone Come Out of Depression

Apart from professional help, people who are closely related to a depressed person may also take some steps in helping that person come out of it. Here are some effective ways to help someone battling depression or measures for helping someone overcome depression:

1. Try to Put Yourself in Their Place

It is very easy to help someone if you understand their pain and suffering. Know about their situation in detail so that you can empathise and help the person dealing with it.

2. Prepare Yourself

How will you help someone if you won’t have any idea about what the other person may be dealing with. There are many online websites, books, and other means that can help you learn about depression. You may even meet a psychiatrist and educate yourself better.

3. Just Be There for Them

Sometimes just listening to the worries, fear, or anxieties may help them feel better. You may not be required to offer a solution, just lend an ear and know how exactly they may be feeling and what may be bothering them so much.

4. Keep Your Emotions in Check

Being in close proximity with someone who is dealing with depression may sometimes take a toll on you too. There is no doubt that negative feelings may get contagious too. Move out of the house, interact with positive people or hang out with your friends to get your positivity back on track.

5. Stay Calm

Dealing with someone who is constantly struggling can be a very difficult situation to deal with. You may feel frustrated, angry, and also experience other such emotions. It is absolutely normal to feel so. Join a support group, hang out with friends or do other things that make you happy.

6. Take Up Their Chores

Just the way when someone who has fever finds it difficult to get up and do their day to day chores, a person dealing with depression is sailing on the same boat. Step up and help them in taking care of their day to day tasks. It may appear normal, but there may be a massive turmoil going inside them.

7. Do Not Take Things Personally

While interacting with a person who is experiencing depression, it is important to remember it is not about you it is about them. They are fighting their inner demons, and if they behave or act a certain way with you, it is all because of their illness and nothing else.

8. Provide Unconditional Love and Support

There is nothing in life that cannot be made better with love and care. When someone who you are close to is facing this serious health issue, lending them your unconditional love and support will help them come out of soon. Being there for them is the best thing that you can do to help.

9. Offer Hope

It is important for you to remind them of the positive things in their life on a regular basis, whether it is their children, their passion in life, or anything that can help them keep going. It is very important for such people to find hope because that may be one thing they may be relying on the most.

10. Help Them With Their Therapy and Medicines

All of the above ways will work fine if they take their medication and therapy sessions religiously. Make sure no sessions are missed, and medicines are taken on time too.

When to Seek Urgent Help

If a person suffering from depression gets suicidal thought too often or is trying to harm himself, it is recommended that urgent help should be sought. Such cases usually arise when that person loses hope to live and thinks death can reduce all his suffering.

If anyone in your family is affected by depression, follow these suggestions and help him get better.

Also Read:

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Types of People You Need to Cut Out for Happy Life
Ways to Help You Cope Up With Why Me Mindset