How You Can Help Others with Depression

Readers,

 On finding that someone close to us has depression, we will often feel the overwhelming desire to help. Though you may never be the counselor they need, here are some things you CAN do as a close friend to heed the healing process:.

1. Treat him/her equally. It is highly probable that the person is feeling inadequate to the people around them (this is not always the case). However, one of the most common mistakes people make is either to bully and suppress the individual, OR by separating the person with special privileges. BOTH of these actions will make the person feel different and if anything, more inadequate. Therefore you must treat them as you always have, not any differently, this way it will make it easier for the person to slip into normalcy as they once had been.
2. Listen. If the person feels close enough to you that they start to open up, always listen and give balanced advice. Sometimes sharing stories can help the person to relate and feel a connection.
3. Secrecy. If the person opens up to you about something that is making them depressed, give them the liberty of secrecy. (Though of course this is not the case if you know the person is at a stage of self harm).
4. Include. When a person is depressed, as I stated earlier, they often feel inadequate to the people around them. So, include them in discussions and group outings, this can really help in the healing process
5. Be thoughtful. It can help, when feeling depressed, receiving a thoughtful gift. This may range from a friendly call, asking them how their clarinet exam went, or to buying them their favorite perfume.

These are some simple things you can do to heed the healing process of someone with depression. Without qualifications it can be difficult, however being a good supportive friend always makes a difference.