Friday Five: 5 Ways to Help Someone with Depression
Feeling off or unhappy sometimes is normal and expected, as all humans have ups and downs. However, if these feelings last for a significant period of time, it may be a sign of deeper issues, including potentially depression.
Although professional support can be especially helpful, it can be incredibly difficult to ask for help. Often, people struggling don’t even know when or how to ask for help.
asking for professional help is a valid and expected way of working yourself out of it. If you see a friend having a hard time with mental health and depression, here are some ways to help them. 🫂
Keep reading to learn 5 ways to help someone with depression :)
Be empathic even if you’ve never been depressed before
Informing yourself is a good way to start giving help to others. Depression will change your brain and the way it processes reality. Psychiatrist Aaron Beck called the three ways in which your brain will change, the “cognitive triad”. People with depression develop: a negative view of themselves (“I wish I was better”), a negative view of the world (“People always ignore me”) and a negative view of the future (“Nothing will ever get better”). By understanding the impact of depression on how a person approaches life, you may be able to respond to their needs in a more impactful way.
2. How to help your friend identify they are depressed
While someone with depression may not be able to identify when it’s time to ask for help, an observer can often help provide a more neutral and realistic perspective. But, what should I look for in my friend's behavior?
If someone is depressed, they may:
Have lost interest in doing the things they once enjoyed
Seem to be feeling hopeless
Feel tired or as if they don’t have energy
Not able to sleep or is sleeping more than usual
