How To Support Someone With Depression
Approaching someone about their depression can feel daunting. It can feel like they may retaliate and push you away, or you may feel worried that you may approach them and it could turn out that they actually don’t have depression. Yet, the fact of the matter is that not reaching out could have devastating results, as the symptoms of untreated depression can be deadly.
Better Understanding Depression
Depression is a word that is often thrown about without really understanding its basics. According to the peer-reviewed thesis, Depression, by Doctors Chand and Arif, “Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest… [The] DSM-5 classifies the depressive disorders into Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder; Major depressive disorder; Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia); Premenstrual dysphoric disorder; and Depressive disorder due to another medical condition. The common features of all the depressive disorders are sadness, emptiness, or irritable mood, accompanied by somatic and cognitive changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function.”
Many people who struggle with depression are also “high functioning.” This means that they can still go about their day-to-day lives while still dealing with their feelings of depression. Unfortunately, many of these people do not get the help they need because they can still perform at externally “optimal” levels. This is another reason why it is so important to reach out to loved ones about their depression.
Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Regardless of the type of depression that someone is struggling with, there are many universal signs and symptoms that they may experience. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:
- Feelings of sadness, emptiness, loneliness, and helplessness
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite including loss of appetite and overeating
- Trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (insomnia)
- Trouble concentrating, even with basic tasks
- Isolating away from loved ones
- Feeling excessively anxious
- Experiencing mood swings
- Feelings of impending dread
- Thoughts of self-harm
- Having suicidal ideations
As you can see, the symptoms of depression can be extremely destructive. This is why reaching out to a loved one who is struggling with depression is so important. Doing so can mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences.
How Do I Approach Someone About Their Depression?
One of the most important things to remember about approaching your loved one about their depression is that you are doing so for their benefit. You now know the symptoms of untreated depression, so you know how important reaching out can be.
It is also important to be open and honest about what harm their depression is causing and how concerned you have become. It can be helpful to make a list of harms that your loved one’s depression is causing themselves as well as a list of harms that their depression is causing others.
It can also be helpful to connect with other family and friends about approaching your loved one with their concerns. However, it is also important not to overwhelm them. The key is to let them talk and express their own feelings. Chances are that they want to do something about the negative way that they are feeling as well.
Helping Someone Get the Right Treatment for Their Depression
There are many ways that one can recover from depression. Many people find that antidepressants and other types of medications can be very helpful. However, it is important not to solely rely on pharmacological solutions.
Psychotherapy also works very well in tandem with antidepressant medication. This is especially true with psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT works well with depression because it helps to get to the underlying issues of depression.
CBT gets to the underlying thoughts and feelings so that the negative behaviors can ultimately be addressed. According to the peer-reviewed journal, Cognitive Therapy and Research, “Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) refers to a class of interventions that share the basic premise that mental disorders and psychological distress are maintained by cognitive factors… [T]hese maladaptive cognitions include general beliefs, or schemas, about the world, the self, and the future, giving rise to specific and automatic thoughts in particular situations. The basic model posits that therapeutic strategies to change these maladaptive cognitions lead to changes in emotional distress and problematic behaviors.”
The Importance of Long-Term Success at The Phoenix Recovery Center
Here at The Phoenix Recovery Center, we believe in individualized comprehensive recovery plans because we know that each client has unique symptoms and needs. We also know how difficult it can be to approach a loved one about depression, so we make sure to honor that effort and offer only the best means, methods, and modalities for recovery.
Recovery is about long-term success, not short-term “fixes.” That success can start right here, right now, at The Phoenix Recovery Center.
It can feel very daunting to approach someone about their depression. However, it is important to approach a loved one with depression because it will ultimately help everyone recover better. It is important to remember that mental health issues like depression can be a “family disease.” The good news is there are many effective means, methods, and modalities for treating depression. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of depression or any other type of mental illness or addiction, we can help get you on the positive path toward recovery right away. You don’t have to do this alone. For more information, please reach out to The Phoenix Recovery Center today at (801) 438-3185.
