Supporting a Loved One with Clinical Depression

Having a good support system can mean the difference between your loved one coming out of the depression or sinking deeper.

Dos

Make the person feel important. Being depressed breeds self hate and doubt. Take the time to show your loved one that they mean something to you, regardless of the depression.

Say supportive things. Words are such a powerful thing. Tell them something good every day, just to remind them they aren't inherently bad. It really does help.

Human contact can make a huge difference. Hugging or touching is a great form of therapy. It lets them know you care for and support them. It makes them feel loved and cared about.

Communicate. If your loved one wants to talk, be there. Being able to get things out can be uplifting. You don't have to say a lot, just let the other person vent.

Help them get help. Treatment is extremely important when dealing with depression. Your loved one may need medication, therapy or both. Support them in finding a doctor and getting the help they need.

Take a break, walk away if you need to. Dealing with a person who is depressed can be frustrating. There's no shame in stepping away and getting yourself together. After all, you can't help if you're stressed out.

Don'ts

Berate the person. A person who is depressed already feels bad enough. Making unkind comments or pointing out everything they're doing wrong will just make things worse.

Be dismissive. Yes, depression is all in a person's head. But that doesn't mean a person wants to be that way or can help it. It is a legitimate illness, treat it that way,

Enable self-destructive behavior. Don't enable a depressed person to hurt themselves or do harmful things. Be supportive but not enabling.

Try to fix things. You can't take a wrench out and fix someone with depression. They need medical help and have to find their own way out. All you can do is be there to support them in the journey.

Dealing with someone who has depression can be almost as frustrating as being the person who's depressed.

Just know that it can be conquered. Be there, be supportive and watch what happens.