How Family and Friends Can Give Help for Depression

Realizing that someone close to you has depression can be a bitter pill to swallow and may leave you wondering what to do next. Through this article and by accessing the resources available on this website you can better understand depression and learn how to offer the type of help for depression that is effective and helpful to those who suffer from depression.

This article will help you to understand the symptoms of depression, how to pursue treatment, what the warning signs are of worsening depression, and understand the risk of suicide.

Understanding the symptoms of depression

While depression is a common ailment, the indicators that people exhibit vary between each person. Typical symptoms of depression include:

• Feeling hopeless, hollowed out, tearful or sad.
• Undue emphasis on minor issues, with different displays of anger, from irritability and frustration to rage.
• Being bored by previously interesting topics or activities, like sports or hobbies, or even sex.
• Feeling tired even after sleeping well, consistently sleeping too much, or suffering from insomnia.
• Being tired out by small tasks, and generally feeling low energy for most of the day.
• A varying appetite which could mean not feeling hungry and losing pounds, or eating much more than usual and gaining weight.
• Feeling restless, physically agitated, and anxious.
• Slowing down in your thoughts, speech, and how you move your body.
• Being consumed by past mistakes or feeling solely responsible for failures that were not your responsibility, feeling as if you had little worth and guilty.
• Not being able to focus, remember, or think as clearly, and feeling indecisive.
• Not being able to explain physical back pain or headaches.
• Repeated talk of death, thinking about suicide, attempting suicide or suicide.

It is often the case that those who suffer from depression have symptoms that are inescapable and lead to problems in their daily lives. Examples include struggling to perform to the same level at work, changes in the ability to study and concentrate, decreased ability to interact socially, and being in relationships with others.

There is more to depression than feeling down or low and unhappy but often sufferers cannot explain why. In children, depression often shows itself as irritability and crankiness rather than sadness.

How to offer help for depression by encouraging treatment

All too often those who suffer from depression are not able to recognize or want to acknowledge their symptoms as pointing to depression. It could be that they feel that the behavior they display and the thoughts they have can be accounted for as simple moodiness or grumpiness, and not in the range of depression.

It may take them some time to realize that while their emotions, thoughts, and physical ailments may be normal, they do fall on the spectrum of depression.

The feeling that a person gets when understanding that they are not coping with life as well as others do, or even as they expected to, may lead to feelings of shame.

In such a frame of mind, many deduce that they cannot find their way out of their feelings of depression, and try through the strength of their willpower to think themselves to better emotional health. While thoughts are a very powerful tool at our disposal, depression rarely improves without holistic treatment.

A lack of treatment will often see a worsening of symptoms and the condition of the sufferer. However, there is hope and by using verified approaches and treatments the person suffering from depression can make a full recovery.

How you can offer help for depression from a position of care

As someone who cares, here is advice on how you can help:

• Make a point of speaking directly to the person about what you have noticed about them, and why this makes you concerned for them and others.
• Discuss with them that depression is a treatable illness and usually people who suffer from it can recover through treatment. Tell them it is a medical condition, not a character failing or personal weakness.
• Give your recommendation that the person gets proper help. Medical doctors, psychiatrists, and licensed counselors have the specific training and experience required to help them.
• If the person has questions, offer to help them list these so they can ask the medical professional at the initial appointment. Remember they may have trouble focusing and may feel agitated at implementing a plan of action from a position of feeling overwhelmed.
• In the same way offer to set up the appointments and consider joining the person should there be a suggestion that they attend a support group.

Remember, if the person you care about is severely ill or you are worried about their risk to themselves and their health, contact a medical professional, a nearby hospital, or a suicide hotline.

What are the warning signs of worsening depression?

Each person is fearfully and wonderfully made. We are all distinct individuals and as such we experience depression differently from one another. In this way watch and learn how depression affects your friend or family member. And be aware of signs of it worsening.

List the answers to these questions for yourself to refer back to:

• How would you characterize their behavior and speech while they are depressed? What do you notice?
• What actions or activities can you initiate to help the person when the depression seems to be getting worse?
• Are there particular circumstances or events that trigger episodes that make the depression worse for a time?
• Does the person speak or behave in a particular way when they are doing well?
• How do they act and what language do you notice when their depression seems to get worse?

When depression worsens it must be treated as soon as possible. Being proactive is far easier and more effective than reacting to circumstances. Depression is known to get worse. If this happens at a future date to your friend or family member encourage them now to plan with their doctor what they will do when the signs and symptoms are seen to reach a particular stage.

Steps of to get help for depression may include the following:

• Having a clear understanding of what self-care looks like. This will include knowing about the effects of certain types of food on your body and mind, the advantages of healthy phone habits, ways to make sure you get proper sleep and effective physical exercise.
• Making an appointment to attend therapy with a licensed counselor or psychologist.
• Contacting the doctor themselves about a change in medication or an adjustment to it.
• Having a clear understanding of their risk of suicide.

People who suffer from depression are at an increased risk of suicide. If your friend or family member is severely depressed then it is a good idea to get used to the idea that at some point, they may feel like ending it all. If you see any signs of suicidal behavior, you must take these seriously and act without hesitation.

Act quickly once you recognize suicidal behavior

• Tell the person about your worries for them and ask if they have been thinking about suicide or have created a plan for how to go through with it. Unfortunately having a plan indicates a higher probability that they will attempt it.
• Look for help from people who know about the situation, such as the doctor and counselor, and then also let family members or good friends know about the situation.
• Phone a suicide hotline number. The toll-free 24/7 number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) and you will talk to a trained counselor.
• Do your best to take away things that could be used to attempt suicide, these would include guns and other weapons as well as medications.
• If your friend or family member is in danger of self-harm or suicide then it is an emergency, call 911 or the area emergency number and make sure someone stays with that person all the time.

Christian counseling for depression

If you’re looking for additional help for depression beyond this article, please browse our online counselor directory or contact our office to schedule an appointment. We would be honored to walk with you and your loved one toward a place of healing and hope.