Help For Someone Living With Depression

Depression is not an easy illness to cope with, but with the combination of medicine (antidepressants), therapy and some coping skills, depression can be treated successfully. No treatment though beats the support of loved ones. Many of the people who have dealt with depression and overcome it have testified to how helpful the support of loved ones are during the darkness, known as depression.

So if you have a loved one suffering from depression and you are wondering how to help someone with depression, here are the things you should do:

Educate yourself about Depression

Knowledge they say is power. The better you understand the disease, the better you'll be able to deal with it. Someone depressed is in a dark place, no matter how well mannered they used to be, they'll behave in ways you never thought possible, but they're not the ones acting out, it's the disease, when you know what to expect from the disease, it signs and symptoms, and then skills for helping someone who is depressed, you'll be well prepared to deal with an episode when it arise.

Show understanding at all times

Depression often will affect the way the person acts and his or her way of living, it's likely for the person to become arrogant and irritable. To deal effectively with this person's new attitude, you will have to talk with care when addressing him or her. Understand that the depressed can't help acting the way they do, it doesn't matter if they want to or not, when the illness takes over, they're not themselves, so when you talk to them, let your words show understanding, instead of being angry for something they said or how they said it. The important thing is to let them know that you don't blame them and you'll be there to fight the illness together with them.

Remind them at all times of your love and support

A depressed person will most likely feel unworthy of your love. So remind them of their great attributes and tell why they deserve to be loved. Build their hope on whatever they believe in, what is it that means a lot to them?

Let them know you're ready to help them

Though you can't possibly understand how they feel, but let them know that you're ready to do whatever you can to help them. Do your research on the different types of treatment available for depression and ask them to read about it and pick the one they're most comfortable with. No when to help and when to back down a little, by that I mean don't in the name of wanting to help, make all the decision including the treatment this person wants, you could agitate them further. Instead give them the information you've gathered and let them read and then decide which they want.

Don't let it suck you in, take care of yourself

Helping someone with depression can be a lot to take on, and if you're not careful it could become all you do in life, and that wouldn't help anyone since you'll likely become frustrated, stressed and even depressed. So while you take care of someone depressed, make sure to do your regular activities, you could cut short the time you put into each activity but don't completely give them up for the sake of looking after your depressed loved one, you won't be helping either of you if you do.

There are many materials available on the internet to help you understand depression better and how to deal with it. One of such sites is COPINGWITHDEPRESSIONCENTER.COM, a site that focuses on effective skills for coping with depression , visit it at http://www.copingwithdepressioncenter.com