Help for depression
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Helping Yourself – help for depression
Depressive disorders make you feel exhausted, worthless, helpless,
and hopeless. Such negative thoughts and feelings make some
people feel like giving up. You should realize that these
negative views are part of depression, and typically do not
accurately reflect your life situation. Negative thinking
fades as treatment begins to take effect. Psychotherapy, especially
cognitive psychotherapy, is specifically designed to change
the negative thinking associated with depression.
Help for depression
In the meantime:
• Do not set difficult goals for yourself, or take on
additional responsibility.
• Break large tasks into small ones, set some priorities,
and do what you can as you can.
• Do not expect too much from yourself too soon, as
this will only increase your feelings of failure.
• Try to be with other people; it is usually better
than being alone.
• Force yourself to participate in activities that may
make you feel better.
• Try engaging in mild exercise, going to a movie, a
ball-game, or participating in religious or social activities.
• Don't overdo it or get upset if your mood is not greatly
improved right away. Feeling better takes time.
• Do not make major life decisions, such as changing
jobs, getting married or divorced, without consulting others
who know you well and who have a more objective view of your
situation. In any case, it is advisable to postpone important
decisions until your depression has lifted.
• Do not expect to snap out of your depression. People
rarely do. Help yourself as much as you can, and do not blame
yourself for not being up to par.
• Remember, do not accept your negative thinking. It
is part of the depression and will disappear as your depression
responds to treatment.
• Get help from a professional. No matter how much you
want to beat it yourself, a psychologist can help you recover
faster.
Help for depression - Helping the Depressed Person
The most productive way to assist a depressed person, is to
help him or her get appropriate treatment. This may involve
encouraging the individual to stay with treatment until the
symptoms begin to abate (several weeks), or to seek different
treatment if no improvement occurs. On occasion, it may require
making an appointment and accompanying the depressed person
to appointments with the psychologist. It may also mean monitoring
whether the depressed person is taking medication, if prescribed.
The second most important way to help is to offer emotional
support. This involves understanding, patience, affection,
and encouragement. Engage the depressed person in conversation
and listen carefully. Do not disparage feelings expressed,
but point out realities and offer hope. Do not ignore remarks
about suicide. Always report them to the depressed person's
psychologist.
Invite the depressed person for walks, outings, to the movies,
and other activities. Be gently insistent if your invitation
is refused. Encourage participation in some activities that
once gave pleasure, such as hobbies, sports, religious or
cultural activities, but do not push the depressed person
to undertake too much too soon. The depressed person needs
diversion and company, but too many demands can increase feelings
of failure.
Do not accuse the depressed person of faking illness or of
laziness, or expect him or her "to snap out of it."
Eventually, with treatment, most depressed people do get better.
Keep that in mind, and keep reassuring the depressed person
that, with time and help, he or she will feel better.
Depressed People May Need Help to get Help
The very nature of depression can interfere with a person's
ability to get help. Depression saps energy and self-esteem
and makes a person feel tired, worthless, helpless, and hopeless.
Therefore,
• Seriously depressed people need encouragement from
family and friends to seek treatment to ease their pain.
• Some people need even more help, becoming so depressed,
they must be taken for treatment.
• Don't ignore suicidal thoughts, words or acts. Seek
professional help immediately.
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