How to Help Someone Coping With Depression

People who suffer from depression need steady, supportive friends to rely on when feeling hopeless, helpless and upset. Other signs of depression include low energy, changes in appetite, insomnia, irritability, negative attitude, alcohol or drug abuse, anxiety and losing interest in previously enjoyable activities. When they make it out of their depression, they will be grateful that someone helped guide them out of it.

Listen

• Actively listening without judging or giving advice is a good way to help someone with depression. Let them vent their feelings of despair and anger. According to Families for Depressed Awareness, you should summarize parts of what the depressed person said and allow him or her to express emotion. Maintain eye contact and nod to show that you are listening. Being a good listener can be more helpful than someone who tries to offer advice.

Be Patient

• One of the main things you can do to help someone with depression during the depression treatment process is to give your unconditional love and support, which involves being patient and compassionate, according to HelpGuide. This is not easy when dealing with people who have drastic mood swings and take out their frustrations on others. Remember, a depressed person is not acting the same as usual right now. If your friend does not appreciate your efforts, give her space. Do not yell or force her into anything. Depression can take away motivation, energy and interest. If possible, convince your friend to join you at dinner or a movie, go on a walk, or participate in activities, such as hobbies or sports she previously enjoyed.

Get Educated

• If someone has a serious bout with depression that does not seem to go away, you may want to find alternative treatments. Read everything you can about depression at the library and online. It will help to understand what your friend is going through and what types of treatment options are available. Share the information you learned while researching the topic.

Encourage Treatment

• If you believe your friend is suffering from severe depression, encourage him to participate in a treatment program. Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a fairly new treatment that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating severe depression. According to MayoClinic.com, transcranial magnetic stimulation is a procedure that improves symptoms of depression by using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. The treatment consists of placing an electromagnetic coil near the patient’s forehead. The coil stimulates nerve cells in the brain that involve mood control. One of the advantages of this treatment method is the very low incidence of side effects, as stated on the Mayo Clinic website.

Encourage Friend Not to Abuse Drugs

• Taking too many antidepressant or anti-anxiety drugs can be dangerous, and stopping the medication may make your depressed friend feel much worse. Encourage your friend not to make any changes without talking to the doctor or psychiatrist. According to WebMD, many people do not take their antidepressant medication long enough to get the full benefit. The reasons may be due to the negative side effects or not clearly understanding the treatment. It can take at least nine months with treatment to help prevent a relapse.

Recommend a Support Group

• Joining a support group can provide an outlet for someone who is depressed. According to WebMD, depression support groups help people realize that they are not the only ones dealing with feelings of depression. This added support helps them learn to manage their illness. This is also a source for good information since members often share coping suggestions that others find useful.