It may be difficult to manage support for a loved one who is depressed. No single strategy or answer applies to every situation; depression is a very unique and complex experience. Seeking guidance from the best online psychiatrist can make a significant difference.
Understanding the Spiral
Understanding what your loved one is going through is important. One way to think about clinical depression is like a downward spiral. Your loved one becomes more and more down and less able to cope with depression. This slows down the brain and causes depression.
You could end up in this cycle for several weeks, months, or even years. It’s not easy to help your loved one feel better; you can still support him as he gets better and moves on.
Symptoms of Depression
- Emotions such as sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness for 2 or more weeks.
- Feel angry, impatient, or frustrated—even in a very small issue
- Loss of enjoyment or interest in most common activities, including sports, and hobbies.
- Too much sleep or lack of sleep
- Fatigue and low energy, so even simple chores need more work.
- Change in appetite that results in either weight gain and increased food desires or weight reduction and reduced appetite
- Agitation, restlessness, or anxiety
- Sluggish speech, thinking, or moving
- Feelings of shame or worthlessness, fixating on previous misbehaviors, or assigning unnecessary responsibility for events
- Difficulties with focus, memory, decision-making, and thinking
- In severe cases, Rrecurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, attempts at suicide
Encourage Treatment
When someone is dealing with depression, they might not even notice their symptoms or understand how getting help could make a difference for them.
Ways where you get help:
- Discuss with the individual your observations and the reasons for your concerns.
- Describe depression as a complicated illness rather than a shortcoming or personal defect.
- Tell them there are individuals out there that wish to help them.
- Advise seeking help from a professional psychologist or psychiatrist.
- Talking to a primary care doctor or family doctor may be a good place to start. Alternatively, one may directly contact online mental health services such as SehatYab, to discuss the issue and get help.
- The readiness to assist might be demonstrated by making an appointment and perhaps attending family therapy.
- Provide support in compiling a list of questions and noteworthy changes to bring up at the initial consultation. Customer support at SehatYab also provides tips and a pre-appointment checklist to help get the most out of the session.
- Your words of encouragement and sympathy may just lead them to the right path of healing or provide them with the motivation to speed up their self-healing process.
How to Support Loved Ones?
Ask the patient to book an appointment: Tell your friend or loved one not to forget to consult online psychologists or psychiatrists and proper mental health therapy.
Listen, Support Understand: Pay close attention when someone you care about wants to talk to you. Avoid trying to judge or give too much practical advice. Being empathetic and just listening may very well be an excellent healing technique.
Give positive support: Let your loved one know that you admire them and how much they mean to you and others.
Give a helping hand: Your loved one can find it difficult to do some duties. Provide specific tasks that you may assist with or complete on your own.
Support in creating a routine: If your loved one is depressed, it may be difficult for them to make healthy decisions. Help them in planning a daily schedule of activities. There should be reserved time for taking medicines, sleeping, exercising, going outdoors, and performing work around the house including meals.
Plan together: Spend time with your loved one on a walk, a movie, or any team effort. Never try to coerce someone into doing anything.
Be patient. Depending on the duration of symptoms, some patients see rapid symptom improvement using therapy or medicines, while others will require a lot of time.
Beware
- Individuals who suffer from depression are more vulnerable to suicide.
- Contact the emergency helpline if you think their condition is serious or unsafe.
- Show them they follow some great people’s example by being there for them and offering significant assistance.
- Converse with them about their sentiments delicately and sympathetically without constraining them.
Look for yourself
It’s tough to see a loved one going through depression and feeling like you can’t do much to help them. It’s totally normal to feel sad, frustrated, or even guilty. But it’s imperative to take care of yourself too. You can validate your feelings and give importance to your mental well-being by making time for important things like hobbies, exercise, and spending time with people who matter to you.
Get Help Today!
If someone you care for is suffering from depression symptoms, do not wait and help him out Encourage them to talk to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Sehatyab allows easy online consultations with qualified Pakistani psychologists and psychiatrists from home, work or anywhere. Take action today to help them feel better and live a happy life fully