What to do with a depressed person

What do depressed people do all day? When a loved one has depression? How do people with depression think? Depression drains a person’s energy, optimism, and motivation.

Your depressed loved one can’t just “snap out of it” by sheer force of will.

The symptoms of depression aren’t personal. If you have a friend or family member struggling with depression, you might not know what to say or how to lend support. The single best thing you can do for a friend with depression is listen without judgment. There are a number of phrases that are sometimes used with good intentions but can actually make a person with depression feel worse. A depressed person legitimately can’t function like a mentally health person.

Pestering or shaming them about it will only hurt, not help. There’s a difference between “I value your mental health and want to see you accomplish your goals,” compared to “You never do anything for yourself. Pushing someone’s buttons might feel good in the moment but it won’t solve anything.

Chances are a depressed person is already struggling with feelings of guilt and self-criticism. Explain that depression is a medical condition, not a personal flaw or weakness — and that it usually gets better with treatment. Money worries are very common when you are depresse so. While depression can be in some ways the absence of action, there are still little habits, little routines, a person may pick up on when they re-enter a depressive episode. These habits can be small indicators you’re beginning to feel depressed again.

They can even be positive things — habits developed to help you survive. It’s important to remember that these symptoms can be part of life’s normal lows. But the more symptoms you have, the stronger they are, and the longer they’ve lasted—the more likely it is that you’re dealing with depression.

It’s not your job to take care of anyone else’s mental health. A good way to take care of yourself without sending your depressed loved one spiraling is to say things like “I need not to be the only one you talk to about this stuff” or. If you live with someone who is depressed and see their day-to-day life, you may be confused and even afraid at times. And if you have never been depressed yourself, you might have a hard time imagining what it feels like.

It can cause long-lasting and severe feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities. Knowing how to make a depressed person feel better is notoriously difficult. People with depression find it hard to ask for help, usually because they don’t know what they need or because they’re worried about being a burden on their loved ones.

Uplifting another person instantly makes you feel better.

I am not depressed , I have depression. You are the only person who gets to decide if you are happy or not— do not put your happiness into the hands of other people. Do not make it contingent on their acceptance of you or their feelings for you. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if someone dislikes you or if someone doesn’t want to be with you. The feelings and thoughts of a depressed person may be difficult to share, which might compound the problem and leave the partner feeling there is a lack of communication.

Research has shown that people tend to withdraw when they are depressed ,   so reaching out to a friend in need is an important first step. It’s almost like you have to overcompensate for their lack of energy. Being somebody’s therapist day and night, constantly listening to their problems, is exhausting.

An depressed loved ones do not need a parent telling them what they “should” do. Instea a depressed loved one should be asked as many open-ended questions as possible. This will help the depressed individual think through their options, consider alternatives, explore ideas, expand their abilities and so on and so on.