Depression strikes 19 million Americans a year. It's a
serious thing. But what if it's not you? What if it's a friend facing this
demon? Do you know what to do to help them? Do you even know where to start?
Don't worry. We're here to give you some advice to help you help a friend in
need.
- Listen. It's the most important thing you can do. They
may be hard to understand as agitation can mess with their communication
skills, but listening is vital
- Help with little things.
Taking care of pets or houseplants is a good start. It's hard to remember the
little things when you are having problems, so helping the person take care of
himself or herself is actually a big help.
- Learn all you can about depression. The more you know,
the better equipped you are to help them.
- Make sure they are taking their meds. Taking meds and
keeping appointments are key to recovery. If they aren't doing it they won't
get better.
- Don't catch it. Depression can be "contagious." Get some
alone time or away time so that the stress of the situation doesn't cause your
own depression.
- Take all threats of suicide seriously. This is the most
important. Any threat of suicide should be perceived as real. Call a health
care provider for advice on how to handle it.
Help is important. No one should have to deal with depression alone. Having a
friend, knowing someone cares, can be the biggest help of all.
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Comments:
don't i know it
Name: Greg
Comments:
Good article, I thought it was gonna be written by Kevin when I saw the title. I think there are a few of us who can write about this topic from a personal perspective, too.
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