8 Tricks That Will Help Someone with Depression Be More Happy

Depression is one of the trickiest diseases that humankind has to deal with. Mostly because there is no one way to cure it and you don’t know how long the symptoms will last. Every patient is different and the worst of all, unless you have suffered it, you truly cannot know what is going through the mind of someone who has it. The biggest remedy to this mental illness is the support of friends and family. If you know someone who is seeking your support in their battle against depression, here are some tricks you can use to help them feel better and more like their old self:

1.

The worst thing that you can do to a person with depression is to treat them like there is nothing wrong at all. Though your intentions might be pure and you just want them to feel normal again, but this just adds to their trauma because to them it looks like their feelings aren’t being validated.

2.

Don’t try to take matters in your own hands. Depression is a serious mental illness and should be cured by professionals alone. Don’t think that you would somehow be magically able to fix the mood of your friend. Leave that to the doctors. You just have to be there for them.

3.

You have to be the positive light that your friend is missing in their life, but don’t shine right into their eyes. Let them reach out to you for positivity. Don’t go parading it in front of them. They might just get worse because now they can’t even think if positive thoughts on their own.

4.

Give them the space to express their feelings without being judgmental or too kind. If they are saying something deprecating, don’t stop them and praise everything good they have done; that is stifling their feelings; just let them get it out of their system and ensure that they know they will always have a ready listener to whatever they have to say.

5.

Don’t deny them their feelings. Don’t say that it is stupid that they are feeling sad when they have everything in the world. Emotions are not voluntary, our reaction to them is. Let them say how they feel and validate their emotions. Tell them that it is okay to feel the way they do because you know that they can’t help it.

6.

Many people get very uncomfortable when someone with depression tries to reach out to them. They either pull away or react in a way that is a little hurtful to the dignity of the person who is going through depression. Don’t feel weird if your friend has decided to reach out to you. Make them feel comfortable and safe on knowing that they will always have someone to support them in their battle against depression.

7.

A person who is depressed would rather spend their entire day indoors and in bed. But you have to be the one to give them an option. Try taking them out to different places even if it is for a very short while. Help them in breaking the monotony as best as they can.

8.

But don’t let it become your only duty overriding everything else. Yes, you have to be there for your friend. But you need to be there for yourself as well. So do set some boundaries.

Depression is tricky and the best you can do for your friends and family members who suffer from it is to educate yourself as much as possible on the subject. Don’t think for a moment that you can cure them. But you can definitely help them in the process of curing themselves.