Depression is an extremely common mental health issue, and it can negatively affect your life mentally and physically. It affects people from all walks of life and can affect anyone at any age. There are many theories and many treatments, but there is no ‘magic bullet’ for depression.
Depression is a serious condition affecting many people in our society. It can impact a person’s thoughts, feelings, behavior, and interpersonal interactions. Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors, and it’s not always easy to tell the difference between a person with a major psychiatric illness and someone who has a period of low mood.
You’ll recognize when someone is depressed – the lack of energy, the overwhelming feelings of dread and hopelessness, and the disinterest in anything. Often, in severe cases of depression, personal hygiene and cleanliness may also take a backseat. Some individuals experiencing depression may lack the motivation or energy to engage in cleaning, resulting in an accumulation of waste. Similarly, others might hoard items, leading to a messy and heavily cluttered space. In such circumstances, it is crucial to withhold judgment and instead extend a helping hand. You can assist them in maintaining a clean space and consider seeking a company that offers rubbish removal cheltenham (if that’s their location) to dispose of accumulated waste. Providing support and encouragement for small, manageable tasks can significantly impact someone’s journey through depression.
However, do not assume that all depressed people will show such symptoms. Sometimes, depression can work silently in the background while a person performs his everyday duties and activities. It may seem like the person is doing fine, when they are actually experiencing thoughts of hopelessness or guilt, taking them down a negative spiral. This is usually classified as high-functioning depression (https://blog.helloahead.com/what-is-high-functioning-depression/) and may not be noticeable at first glance. Depression is an insidious illness that can creep up on even the healthiest of us, and there is no single way of dealing with it. What you say to someone depressed depends on how you perceive their illness and what effective method they are using to combat it.
People who are depressed often feel isolated and misunderstood, and not having the right words and phrases to declutter their minds is a common pitfall. The most important part of helping someone who is suffering from depression is that you listen to them. It might be tempting to try and cheer them up, but this can be counterproductive. If you try to force a smile, for example, it might make them feel worse. If you try to force them to talk about their feelings, it may cause them to become defensive.
The first thing to understand is that depressed people aren’t always talking to you about their problems. They may not even be feeling depressed, and you may not even be talking to them at that moment. You cannot force a depressed person to talk. However, you could probably ask them if they would care to join you for smoking some joint. Marijuana is known to help people calm down and this might have a positive effect on people who are depressed. If you’re not sure about where to find them, check online stores like Weed Smart (find more info here).
On the other hand, if they come to you and start about how they feel, you should carefully think about what you will say to that person. While depression isn’t always easy to explain to someone who isn’t experiencing it, it is an important aspect of mental health. In fact, it is so important that more and more people with depression feel encouraged to sign up for an online therapy session, with professionals like those at Citron Hennessey, to help them get the help that they so desperately need to combat the depression they may be experiencing. If people focus more on mental health, people will feel better about speaking out about it.
Depression is a poorly understood illness, but it’s especially important to understand what someone who is depressed is going through because it can have severe effects on the individual and their loved ones. Here are some of the things to say and not to say to someone who is depressed.
What to say:
- “How about we go for a walk?”
It is popularly known that exercise can be a way for you to lift your mood. Don’t you think it’s a good idea for you to suggest that the person you care about with depression go out and look at nature and get a whiff of fresh air? You can also do little activities together while walking.
Depression can feel like a cage, keeping a person from wanting to engage in daily activities. But by saying this, you can show them that you support them and are here for them.
- “Want to try seeing a therapist? It might probably be a good idea.”
Don’t be afraid to recommend seeing a therapist because it’s very much a good idea. You should remember to give out the benefits of treatment in a way where they don’t feel like they need to because of you. Along with recommending a therapist to talk to, you can also say that they’ll get better with the right people that can help them.
- “It’s nice to see that you are interested in this and that.”
People with depression can be encouraged if you point out the positive improvements that they’ve made so far.
What not to say:
- “It’s just in your head.”
Never, and I mean never, say this to a person dealing with depression. As you may know, some people believe depression isn’t a real disease, and people who have it are just overreacting. So, remember to never say this one.
- “What’s there to be depressed about?”
Another one that just sounds so awful to say to a physically, mentally, and emotionally hurting person. It’s saying that they are living a good life or a better life than others, so there’s nothing to be depressed about, and that’s not right to say.
We know that depression is a very common mental health issue, so it is important that we learn the correct way to address these topics to avoid upsetting anyone. Above, there are just a few examples of what you should and shouldn’t say to someone affected by depression, but there are many other examples online that can help. Putting some extra time into researching ways to help would likely make someone feel understood and be more inclined to open up if they know you are giving your best efforts to help.