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6 Ways you can help a friend or a loved one battling depression

battling depression

Depression can render a human being inactive, pushing him to the brink of losing the zest for living.In the US itself, almost 10 % of the adult population is a victim of acute depression.

Having a long history of depression and feeling depressed are entirely different things. Feeling depressed is a temporary state of mind which is undesirable. But clinical depression is a serious medical disorder with harmful consequences. Depression is a difficult obstacle to one’s capability to work, play and interact in a society, and can also present more serious problems.

Here are the 6 ways in which you can help a person suffering from depression:

  1. Help him find help:

help

A person suffering from depression can be counseled. You can sit beside the person for a friendly interaction and ask him to find help. If you know of some good psychiatrist, you can arrange an appointment. You can prepare for him a list of questions to be asked. You could also try taking the person with you for an outdoor stroll.

  1. Be informed:

People suffering from depression generally become bitten by the sting of guilt. They may be ashamed of something which is not their fault but they feel it is them who are responsible. You should try to explain that depression is just a medical condition and they are simply suffering because of listening to what their minds wrongly interpret. This is not a personality trait but simply an unwell condition of mind.

  1. Do not downplay it:

sad depression woman with tears

If you have not been exposed to depression, don’t compare and try to tell the victim how you felt when you dealt with the disease. This will project a wrong picture in front of them.
They will try to compare themselves with normal people and feel incompetent and consequently their mind will sink into the bottom of gloom.

  1. Try to force out stigma:

Speaking openly in front of patients suffering from depression could be therapeutic at times. Hearing an open discussion about mental illness removes the traces of stigma from the mind which is a source of depression.

  1. Make out a schedule for exercising together:

 exercise together

Remember exercise is the most potent antidepressant and it is free!
Exercise must be carried on in a mutual sharing time to instill fellow feeling, care, and concern for the sufferer. Exercise is believed to trigger the neurotransmitters that will help against depression. Walking to a local mall or taking your dog on a long stroll along with the affected person will be a super idea.

The sufferer will feel a part of a vibrant society and contributing towards it. This is to remove the element of guilt or social embarrassment whatever it is that had driven the sufferer into a closed cocoon shut off from the rest of the world.

  1. Inspire the struggling person to a healthier lifestyle:

Encourage your suffering friend or a family member struggling with depression by leading a healthy and active life by that will result in their mood upliftment. You should be involved in it and involve your friend too. The lifestyle should be supported by a positive outlook and an abstinence from drugs and alcohol. It should incorporate a healthy diet, exercise and active participation with the other members of the society. 

Helping a friend or a loved one to come out of depression requires proper education, awareness, and efforts which you need to know.

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