Therapy helps | Photo Northwell
- Persistent low moods: sadness, anxiety, or a feeling of emptiness
- Loss of joy in previously pleasurable activities
- Poor sleep patterns: waking up early and being unable to go back to sleep or oversleeping
- Loss of interest in taking up new skills or hobbies
- Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, and pessimism
- Decreased energy levels and constant fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating and forgetfulness
- Easily annoyed, bothered, or angered
- Appetite and/or weight changes
- Increased intake of alcohol
- Suicidal thoughts and, in some cases, suicide attempts
- Constant physical symptoms that do not get better with treatment, such as headaches, upset stomach, and pain that refuses to go away.
Depression | Photo Insider
- Help them seek professional help: This is the first step to take because depression, like any illness, requires the input of healthcare professionals in its management. You should encourage your loved one to seek professional help. This is better received when you assure them that is will help.
- Listen to them: This is a very important step in helping a loved one with depression. When they open up to you about aspects of their lives they have concerns about, listen to them and, if they ask this of you, help them work out ways to make beneficial changes. Do not impose your thoughts or beliefs. Be as objective as humanly possible. Listen with sympathy, show that you are giving them your full attention, and be available when they want to talk.
- Check-in with them: This can be done virtually or physically, especially if they live alone. You should enlist the help of other friends or family to ensure they do not isolate themselves. It is also helpful to find out what triggers their episodes (in persons with recurrent depression) and see how to avoid these triggers. You can also offer to help out with simple tasks around the house when you visit.
- Avoid blaming them: Blaming people with depression is counterproductive and may set them back and cause them to withdraw into themselves. It is also unhelpful to advise them to “get over it” or to “pull themselves together”. They are probably already blaming themselves, and criticism is likely to make them feel even worse.
- Be patient: This cannot be overemphasised. Even with professional help and treatment, it may take time before your loved one feels better. After the diagnosis is done and you know what type of depression the person suffers from, you should read about it so you will know what to expect and be able to provide better help.
- Caring for yourself: Offering help to a relative or loved one with depression is challenging and can take a toll on your health. It is imperative to also take care of yourself or seek help when you are overwhelmed.
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