Depression is a prevalent mental illness. According to estimates, 5 percent of adults worldwide experience depression. The most significant cause of disability today is depression, which also significantly contributes to the overall burden of sickness on the planet. If you believe your loved one may be depressed, you can help them in the following ways:
- Know the situation. Find out what’s going on by asking them how they feel and listening to them without offering suggestions or judgment. Find out whether someone who knows them well, such as a close friend, has seen anything that might be upsetting them or changes in their behavior. Pay close attention to major life transitions like entering a new work or going through married life.
- Spend time with them. Try to create a welcoming, reassuring, and supportive atmosphere by conversing with them or engaging in age-appropriate activities that they will appreciate. Take an interest in their life by asking about their work or other favorite hobbies.
- Positive behavior. Promote healthy behaviors by encouraging them to engage in their typical hobbies, observe regular sleeping and eating schedules, and engage in physical activity. It’s crucial to get them moving to improve their mood. Listen to songs that make them feel optimistic about life together because music has a powerful impact on our moods.
- Let them speak to you and express themselves. Pay close attention to what they have to say regarding their emotions. Never force them to talk; instead, encourage alternative types of artistic expression like painting, crafts, or keeping a journal of their feelings. Others find that keeping a mood book and noting the things that upset or depress them allows them to express their emotions. They can also be a beautiful reminder of their accomplishments and the good things in their lives.
- Protect them from stressful environments. Protect them by keeping them out of places where they can encounter abuse, violence, or extreme stress. Also, remember that you should create limits and maintain them in your life to serve as an example of how to respond to stress healthily.
- Ask for assistance. Contact the patient’s physician, mental health practitioner, or another medical expert. Inform your other family members and close acquaintances about the situation. Ask their doctors about telehealth or remote patient monitoring if they feel more comfortable being closely monitored remotely.
- Express your willingness to help. Set up appointments, accompany them, and attend family therapy sessions to demonstrate your readiness to assist.
- Find valuable institutions. Numerous organizations provide counseling, support groups, and other resources for depression. For aid with mental health issues, consider the National Alliance on Mental Illness, employee assistance programs, and numerous faith-based organizations.
- Encourage, if suitable, involvement in spiritual practice. Faith, whether expressed through participation in a formal religious group or one’s own personal spiritual practices and beliefs, is, for many people, a key component of getting better from depression.
Takeaway
More than 75% of people in low- and middle-income nations do not obtain treatment for mental problems even though there are established, efficient therapies for them. But there are ways that you can do to cope with depression.
References
- 1. Depression. (2021, September 13). Depression ; Retrieved July 22, 2022 at www.who.int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
