How to support someone with severe depression

Learn about an MDD treatment option. For MDD treatment options. How to talk with someone with depression? What are the best ways to help depression?

Creating a regular routine may help a person with depression feel more in control. Offer to make a schedule for meals, medication, physical activity and sleep, and help organize household chores.

Locate helpful organizations. A number of organizations offer support groups , counseling and other resources for depression. Don’t judge or criticize. Avoid the tough-love approach.

Often, the simple act of talking face to face can be an enormous help to someone suffering from depression. The best thing you can do at the moment is use compassionate listening. Your loved one’s depression is not for you to fix , but being present and listening to your loved one talk can help that person feel heard and understood.

Major depression can be an isolating, painful, and bewildering illness to live with. It is common to want to talk your loved one out of their depression.

Supporting someone with major depression , of course, goes beyond just. You’ll often see depression present with the following symptoms : Low levels of energy. General feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem. Difficulty sleeping (or sometimes over-sleeping) Concentration problems.

Reduced interest in former hobbies and passions. Withdrawal from interpersonal relationships. Tips to help someone who seems down. Let them know you care and are there to listen.

Accept them as they are, without judging them. Gently encourage them to help themselves – for example, by staying physically active, eating a balanced diet and doing things they enjoy. Educate Yourself About Depression and Other Mood Disorders. Ask Questions and Dig for the Root Cause.

Help Them Identify and Cope With Sources of Stress. Remind Them That They're. Encourage Them to Seek Out a Support Group. She needs counseling and if she is not willing to try to help.

Being her friend shows what a compassionate and concerned person you are. However, remember that you are not a doctor, and that she does require mental health experts to help her with her depression. You should not be the only person who is trying to help your loved one.

Get in touch with trusted family, friends, or clergy. If the depressed person is an adult, be sure to ask him for permission first to speak with others and rally support. It can interfere with your productivity, or even just the way you seem to your superiors at work – which has consequences for your performance reviews and ultimately the stability of your employment. Find treatment resources as well as safety and clinical data pertinent to doctors.

Share what you’ve observed and let the person know why you’re concerned. Practice compassionate listening by being patient and encouraging, e. It is perfectly appropriate for you to attend some therapy sessions as a support person, when invited by the anxiety sufferer. Very intense reassurance-seeking is part of the process of how anxiety snowballs. Help them get it done in the simplest of ways possible. Struggling in silence is never going to help.

Motivate them to get help in the form of professional help. Some people with depression feel ashamed to get help due to the stigma in our society surrounding mental illnesses. Create a supportive home environment 5. Focus on small goals 6. This will help to ease tension, limit the stress of the situation, and ultimately make you a more balanced support for your loved one. Treat the person with respect and dignity. Suggest that you seek support together.

The person may not see this as a threatening or intrusive option. Unfortunately, sometimes the person may be reluctant or may even refuse to get help. Not all people with risk factors will be suicidal. In addition to depression or other mental illness, risk factors for suicide include: Current or past history of substance abuse. Past history of suicide attempt.

Family history of suicide.