How do you emotionally support someone with depression? The first step is to understand depression and offer support to the depressed person. Just feeling sad for them is not enough; you can help them in various ways, like helping them cope with the symptoms, regaining their energy, overcoming negative thoughts, and more. However, in addition to all this, people lack the ability to take care of themselves.
Don’t worry! Here, we have discussed understanding depression, how to provide emotional support, its symptoms, and more.
Understanding Depression In a Loved One
Don’t underestimate the condition of depression, as it is one of the serious ones. It drains out the person’s motivation, energy, and optimism. Your loved one who is suffering from depression can not just “snap out from the situation.” Let’s dive in and understand how to emotionally support someone with depression.
Don’t Take The Symptoms of Depression Personally
It gets difficult for a person suffering from depression to connect emotionally on a deeper level with anyone. Even it gets difficult for them to connect with those who are close to their heart. Moreover, it is also common for a person with depression to say hurtful things. Remember that they are not doing it intentionally. It is the depression talking. So, try not to take things personally.
Don’t Hide The Problem
Hiding the problem is not the solution. It will eventually make things more difficult. If you are trying to cover things up, make excuses, or lie to a family member or friend who is depressed. In this case, the depressed person may not seek treatment because of this.
Your Loved One Doesn’t Feel Motivated or Lazy
When your loved one is suffering from depression, doing all things by yourself may make you feel frustrated or exhausted. But don’t lose your patience. Encourage your loved one, and take the small steps of recovery together.
You Can’t Treat Someone In Depression
You are not the right person to treat depression, whether it is your loved one or someone else. Additionally, you should not blame yourself for your loved one’s depression. It is not your fault, or you are not responsible for it. However, you can encourage them and offer love and support to them. The rest of it is in the hands of the depressed person.
What Are The Symptoms of Depression?
Depression is a mental state that affects millions of people every year in the United States. It is a complex situation that can affect daily life, and people may suffer from doing normal activities.
It is essential to understand the symptoms of someone who is fighting depression. The symptoms of depression depend from person to person. Let’s take a brief look at its symptoms:
- Feeling empty, sad, hopeless, or tearful.
- Even on the small things, you get angry, frustrated, or irritated.
- Do not feel interested in doing most of the normal activities like sports, hobbies, or sex.
- Either sleeping too much or not even taking a single nap.
- Your body starts feeling a lack of energy. Even the small tasks seem too big to do.
- Either you will experience increased appetite and weight gain or reduced appetite and weight loss.
- Start suffering from physical problems like headaches and back pain.
- Restlessness, anxiety, or nervousness.
- Slowed speaking, thinking, or body movements.
- Feeling like you are not worthy enough, start thinking about past failures or blaming yourself for the things that were not your fault.
- Facing trouble in remembering things and making decisions.
- Frequent suicidal thoughts.
How to Support Someone with Depression?
If you experience that someone in your surroundings is suffering from the symptoms of depression, you don’t have to panic first. If they see you panic, the situation may worsen. Motivating them, offering love and support, and encouraging them to get help.
Below are a few suggestions on how you can support someone with depression:
Listen Actively
Yes, it is important to show your support and be concerned about that person, but it is also important that you listen to them without judging. Being an active listener means that you are fully present and do not interrupt the conversation.
Be There For Them
Let them know that you are there for them no matter what the situation is. Ensure they know that you are accepting them in whatever situation they are in.
Do Not Pass Judgment
Remember that depression is not a kind of disease that you can easily control.
Make Them Feel Important
Depression is a state where a person might feel that he or she is a burden to their loved ones. Moreover, they may also feel that they have no importance. Assuring them that they are important to you and their feelings matter to you can make a big difference.
Offer Suggestions
It is not a big deal if you encourage them to eat well, exercise, and socialize with others. Remember that these activities can be hard for a depressed person. Do not take it personally if they do not follow your suggestions.
Be Informed
If you want to start from something great, then the best you can do is to educate yourself first about depression. With your knowledge, you can provide them with suggestions and ideas.
Make Group Connections
There are plenty of resources out there for those who suffer from depression. Search for local support groups and share with your loved one.
Be In Touch
People suffering from depression generally face difficulties in reaching friends and families. Most of the time, they don’t even check their texts, phone calls, or emails. Stay patient if they do not reply to you on the go.
Be with Them In Practical Things
A depressed person may feel overwhelmed with the daily tasks. Consider helping them with daily tasks like physical activity, medications, and other activities.
Do Not Give Up
Just take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are doing it for your loved one. It will get better eventually.
Take Care of Yourself
It is hard to take care of a family member or friend who is suffering from depression. Make sure that you take care of yourself during the whole process.
What Things to Avoid While Providing Emotional Support?
People who are experiencing depression are already going through a lot of guilt and shame at the same time. Looking into these things, we have discussed a few things you must avoid when providing emotional support for depression.
Don’t Take It Personally
Your family member or friend’s depression is not your fault. Just like the same, it is not there as well. Try not to get affected when they take out anger or frustration on you.
There can be situations when you need to take a break from your loved one who is in depression. It is totally OK to take your time, as you are also going through a lot. However, it is also important that you don’t blame your loved one for the things they are not doing intentionally.
Instead, you can take therapist sessions or other supportive things that can calm your mind.
Try to Fix Them
Depression is a complex mental health condition that needs professional treatment.
It is difficult to understand depression if you have never had such an experience. However, that doesn’t mean it can not be cured. But not by saying phrases like “stop thinking about the things which make you sad” or “You should be grateful for the life you have.”
Instead of all this, you can encourage them to remember the good things about them, especially when they are just thinking negatively.
Offering positive support to your loved one may make them feel that they matter to you.
Give Advice
Lifestyle can help you improve the signs of depression, but it can be challenging to make these changes in the middle of the depressive episodes.
You might think of offering advice, like eating a balanced diet or doing more exercise. But even if you are thinking good for them, they may not want to listen to you at that moment.
In the future, your loved one may come to you when they want you to advise them of foods that may help with depression. Moreover, they may ask you about some exercises that help relieve depression symptoms. Unless, then, it is best that you stick to listening and not give advice until asked.
You can motivate them by inviting them to cook nutritious meals or going on long walks together.
Minimizing Their Experience
If your loved ones talk about their depression, you might reply like this. “I know, I understand,” or “We all have been in this situation.” But, if you never experienced the phase of depression, this can minimize your feelings.
Depression is not just feeling low or sad. Generally, the sad phase passes with time, while depression can affect many things like relationships, mood, school, work, and other things in life, even for years.
Comparing their situations with someone else’s situations or telling them things like “things can be worse” usually does not help. Validating their pain may help them. Say things like, “I can’t imagine how you are dealing with the situation,” but remember that I am here for you.
Taking Medication with Care
Medication is essential for a person with depression, but that does not mean it works fine for everyone. Some people may not like its side effects and prefer to take natural remedies or therapy to treat depression. If you think that your loved one needs medication to treat the depression, remember that it is their personal decision.
In Closure
It can be a challenging situation where your loved one is dealing with depression, and you can’t fix it. In this situation, the best thing you can do for them is understand depression, educate yourself, offer them support, and communicate. However, sometimes, these things may not be enough in the journey of recovery. Then, how do you emotionally support someone with depression?
Seeking a professional counseling service may help. Are you looking for the best counseling to provide emotional support for depression? Reach out to Alnicor Consulting! We are well-known, experienced experts who provide incredible guidance throughout the journey. Whether it be the person suffering from depression or the supportive person, Alnicor is the supportive hand for both of them.
Our emotional support sessions are confidential and safe. We will surely fulfill all your emotional needs. Reach out to Alnicor Consulting today!