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How To Help A Depressed Friend... A Thread pt. 1
1. Listen to them
Let them know youâre there for them. Try asking âWhatâs on your mind?â
Keep in mind that your friend may want to talk about what they feel, but they might not want advice.
Let them know youâre there for them. Try asking âWhatâs on your mind?â
Keep in mind that your friend may want to talk about what they feel, but they might not want advice.
2. Help them find support
Your friend may not be aware theyâre dealing with depression, or they may be unsure how to reach out for support.
Encouraging them and supporting them to make that first appointment can be so helpful if theyâre struggling.
Your friend may not be aware theyâre dealing with depression, or they may be unsure how to reach out for support.
Encouraging them and supporting them to make that first appointment can be so helpful if theyâre struggling.
3. Support them in continuing therapy
Your friend might not feel like leaving the house. Depression can zap energy and increase the desire to self-isolate.
If they say something like, âI think Iâm going to cancel my therapy appointment,â encourage them to stick with it.
Your friend might not feel like leaving the house. Depression can zap energy and increase the desire to self-isolate.
If they say something like, âI think Iâm going to cancel my therapy appointment,â encourage them to stick with it.
4. Take care of yourself
When you care about someone whoâs living with depression, itâs tempting to drop everything to be by their side and support them. Itâs not wrong to want to help a friend, but itâs also important to take care of your own needs.
When you care about someone whoâs living with depression, itâs tempting to drop everything to be by their side and support them. Itâs not wrong to want to help a friend, but itâs also important to take care of your own needs.
5. Learn about depression on your own
Read up on the symptoms, causes, diagnostic criteria, and treatments on your own.
People experience depression differently, being familiar with the general symptoms can help you have more in-depth conversations with your friend.
Read up on the symptoms, causes, diagnostic criteria, and treatments on your own.
People experience depression differently, being familiar with the general symptoms can help you have more in-depth conversations with your friend.
6. Offer to help with everyday tasks
With depression, day-to-day tasks can feel overwhelming. Things like laundry, grocery shopping, or paying bills can begin to pile up, making it hard to know where to start.
With depression, day-to-day tasks can feel overwhelming. Things like laundry, grocery shopping, or paying bills can begin to pile up, making it hard to know where to start.
7. Extend invitations
A pattern of canceled plans may lead to fewer invitations, which can increase isolation. These feelings can worsen depression.
Just remind them youâre happy to see them whenever they feel like it.
A pattern of canceled plans may lead to fewer invitations, which can increase isolation. These feelings can worsen depression.
Just remind them youâre happy to see them whenever they feel like it.
8. Be patient
Depression doesnât have a clear recovery timeline. Expecting your friend to return to their usual self after a few weeks in therapy wonât help either of you.
Depression doesnât have a clear recovery timeline. Expecting your friend to return to their usual self after a few weeks in therapy wonât help either of you.
9. Stay in touch
Letting your friend know you still care about them as they continue to work through depression can help.
Even if you arenât able to spend a lot of time with them on a regular basis, check in regularly with a text, phone call, or quick visit.
Letting your friend know you still care about them as they continue to work through depression can help.
Even if you arenât able to spend a lot of time with them on a regular basis, check in regularly with a text, phone call, or quick visit.
10. Depression can involve:
â˘anger and irritability
â˘confusion, memory problems, or difficulty focusing
â˘excessive fatigue or sleep issues
â˘physical symptoms such as stomach distress, frequent headaches, or back and other muscle pain
â˘anger and irritability
â˘confusion, memory problems, or difficulty focusing
â˘excessive fatigue or sleep issues
â˘physical symptoms such as stomach distress, frequent headaches, or back and other muscle pain
