How to help a loved one cope with depression?

How to get a person out of prolonged depression? This question is often asked by people when observing the condition of their loved ones. Showing a genuine interest in solving someone's problems can easily fall into a trap. After all, the depressed emotional state of another person can be transmitted to a completely healthy person. However, if you show firmness and perseverance, you can help your loved one. You can always find a way out of any difficult situation in life.

How does depression appear?

The occurrence of a depressive state is influenced by a number of unfavorable factors: frequent stress, hormonal imbalances, impaired brain functioning, a sedentary lifestyle, and bad habits. A person can become depressed after losing a job, breaking up with a loved one, or experiencing the death of a relative.

The following signs are characteristic of a depressive state: prolonged depressed mood, a pessimistic perception of life, lack of desire to somehow change the situation. The individual's memory deteriorates and mental activity slows down. Health problems appear, initially of a psychological nature, then the condition worsens, and the functioning of the internal organs is disrupted.

During a crisis, an individual perceives the world in gloomy colors, he stops communicating with friends, and is not interested in any activity. A person spends most of his time lying in bed, doing nothing. Sometimes he has suicidal thoughts. It can be difficult for a person suffering from depression to get out of this state on their own. He needs help from a friend or an experienced psychotherapist.

How to help a friend get out of depression?

It can be difficult for a person to get out of a depressed state on their own. After all, a depressed person often begins to abuse alcohol and psychotropic substances. By taking alcohol or drugs, a person does not get rid of problems, but only fences himself off from reality, driving himself into a dead end. People who want to help someone suffering from depression should follow the recommendations of a psychologist.

How to get someone out of depression:

• talk heart to heart, find out what worries you, what you are afraid of;
• suggest seeking help from a psychotherapist;
• captivate with a new activity or hobby;
• go for a walk around the city, on an excursion, to a restaurant, theater.

It is important to “pull” a person out of his usual environment, overcome the barriers he has erected, and destroy his destructive comfort zone. Nothing improves your mood more than communication with sincere friends and physical activity. It is important to spend as much time as possible in the fresh air. You can just go shopping. It is recommended to take up any sport: sign up for swimming, go to the fitness center. You can simply run in the morning at a nearby stadium or around your house.

Trying to save a friend from depression, you can get sick yourself. Many psychologists consider this mental disorder to be contagious. True, it is not the virus that can be “caught”, but the very worldview of the sick person. Women are more likely to take on other people's emotional states. Sometimes a person who helps a friend get out of a crisis adopts his way of thinking so much that he himself falls into this depressing state. In order not to become a victim of depression, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, have more fun, be happy, and sweep away any pessimism.

How to keep a depressed person active?

Lack of activity and interest in life is both a symptom of depression and a reason that can aggravate it.

Even in a situation of deep depression, when a person lies and looks at one point, try to help him be minimally active: practice breathing exercises with him (breathe yourself, and the person will unconsciously adjust to your rhythm), rub his arms and legs, give a light massage or stroking. The patient, who shared her experience of how she was able to help her daughter get out of deep depression after the loss of a child, said that on the first day she sat next to her and did breathing exercises to the accompaniment of meditative music. At some point, the daughter began to breathe deeper, and then was able to fall asleep.

For milder manifestations of depression, it is necessary to involve your loved one in feasible physical education and sports. You can invite him to take a walk with you, go to the pool, go out of the city into nature, or keep company when visiting the bathhouse.

Try to revive a spark of interest in a person by reminding them of their favorite activities. Bring (and maybe even read out loud) a new book that he likes to read. Invite him to a movie or an exhibition. Tell the news from the area that fascinated him before, ask for his professional advice, ask his opinion about the incident. A person's passions are the fuel for his thirst for life, rebirth and healing.

There is a known case where a husband, in order to get his wife out of depression, bought any kind of seeds (she was a passionate gardener). His wife couldn't help but look at the seeds, then criticized his choice. And the next day I was already planting seedlings.

You can try to engage a depressed person in some new activity or hobby.

How to help a depressed person: recommendations from a psychologist

Depression is a psychological disorder that affects the emotional sphere, as well as mental and physical activity. This condition is characterized by lethargy. A person often does not understand that something wrong is happening to him. He cannot solve his problems on his own.

How to get a person out of depression - basic instructions:

1. Find a solution.

If a loved one has been depressed for a long time, you need to talk to him, listen carefully, and offer your help. It is important to call a person to openness, to show that his problems are not indifferent to others.

1. Sympathize and offer to look at the situation differently.

The story of a person who is depressed should be taken seriously, not laugh at his groundless fears and not say that all his problems are far-fetched. He must understand that he can cope with any situation, if only he wants to. It is important to increase self-esteem and self-confidence.

1. Come up with your own plan to solve the problem.

If a friend cannot independently find a way out of the current situation, you need to offer him your plan for overcoming the crisis. You can keep him busy with something exciting, or offer him a new hobby. It is advisable to go in for sports or dancing. You can join a group of yoga and meditation lovers.

In order to recover from depressed mood and negative worldview, you need to change your usual lifestyle. Communicate more with friends, be outdoors every day. Particular attention should be paid to the diet. Meals should be regular. It is advisable to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, and meat. Nothing lifts your mood more than chocolate and your favorite sweets. It is important to find positivity in every little thing, enjoy life and be grateful for every day you live.

How to tell if someone is depressed

In order to understand that a loved one has depression, you first need to know what we are talking about. After all, the modern culture of continuous achievement has devalued the very word “depression.” Often this term refers to blues and bad mood. A person is not allowed to be weak, and people use every opportunity to get a reason for a short respite. Therefore, many people think that depression is just a protracted experience or even an inability to cope with the ever-accelerating pace of life.

But in fact, depression is a mental disorder characterized by decreased mood, impaired thinking and motor retardation. Depression has many faces - from apathy and guilt, to anxiety and anticipation of imminent disaster.

There are three degrees of severity - mild, moderate (clinical) and severe (chronic). The chance that mild depression will gradually go away on its own is quite high. This will take 2-3 months. Clinical depression can last up to six months or even become severe. During the chronic stage, a person is no longer able to take care of himself, either in terms of everyday life or in terms of getting out of depression. Specialist help and medication are needed.

Read on topic:

What is depression and how does it manifest itself: a large study

There is also hidden depression, in which a person is overly cheerful and has an emphatically positive attitude. This non-obvious condition is called “depression with a smile.”

First of all, you need to understand that in a state of depression a person cannot adequately perceive the surrounding reality, including himself. He loses the ability to analyze what is happening, draw conclusions and, most dangerously, ask for help.

Main symptoms of depression

• Loss of the ability to experience pleasure. Anhedonia, or the loss of the ability to experience pleasure (the opposite of hedonism), is one of the most important differences between extreme fatigue and depression. After all, when you are overtired, you want to relieve tension, switch gears, have a drink with friends, play video games or go shopping. During depression there are no clearly expressed desires. A person functions automatically, nothing pleases him or interests him.
• Problems with appetite. Depression can manifest itself as either increased appetite or lack thereof. Since depression is a protracted phenomenon, sooner or later fluctuations in weight (in any direction) will become noticeable.
• Sleep disturbance. If we are talking about a loved one with whom you live, then changes in behavior will be visible immediately. But if a friend has problems, then it is important to pay attention to changes in his schedule. The need for too much sleep will manifest itself as lateness, and lack of sleep will manifest itself as exhaustion.
• Problems with concentration. A depressed person becomes less effective and his productivity drops sharply. This always affects your studies or work. But even such little things as inattention or a blank look can become a serious signal.
• Heightened sense of guilt. During depression, a person may feel depressed and guilty about literally all of their past and current actions. To the point of guilt for one's own existence. Notice what he's apologizing for. For example, a sincere request to forgive someone for being late for a friendly or work meeting is quite enough. But if a person is fixated on his mistake, constantly returning to the topic of being late and his own worthlessness, it is worth taking a closer look to see if there is a much larger problem behind this.
• Sudden mood swings. Depressed people are prone to sudden and unexplained mood swings. Of course, bad days happen to everyone and a lot depends on character and temper. But if a person can go from a state of euphoria to deep melancholy in a few minutes, you need to take this more carefully. Most often, there is some psychological or physiological reason behind mood swings.
• Problems with alcohol and drugs. Abuse of stimulant substances may be an attempt to bring back the joy and spice of life. The desire to feel at least something other than apathy and powerlessness. It doesn’t matter whether it’s related to depression or not, you shouldn’t let the problem take its course and expect the situation to resolve itself.
• Lack of motivation, apathy. Very often, depressed people say that they see no point in waking up in the morning. They simply exist, and do not live life. In addition, a depressed person may begin to stop expressing his own opinion, agree with everything, and even not respond to offensive statements.
• Reluctance to communicate with loved ones. Depressed people tend to avoid contact, even with their closest friends and family. Those around you either don’t understand what’s happening or simply don’t know how to help a depressed person. At such moments, it is very important not to distance yourself, but also not to impose communication. A person should know that he can always count on you.
• Procrastination . During depression, it is incredibly difficult to concentrate, and therefore to finish the things you start. This always affects studies or work. Therefore, bad grades or reprimands from superiors should never become a reason for condemnation. Very often there is a problem behind this that is difficult for a person to cope with.
• Motor retardation. Depression is always accompanied by a constant feeling of fatigue. It is extremely difficult to force yourself to go somewhere in such a state - this is quite a feat.
• Psychosomatics . During depression, a person may begin to complain of discomfort in the heart area, migraines, difficulty breathing and other sudden ailments. Testing is essential, but if the test shows that the person is physically healthy, the symptoms may indicate depression or an anxiety disorder.
• Conversations about death. In moments of exacerbation, thoughts of death are characteristic. As a rule, this is not a youthful desire to prove something to someone, but a cold, balanced decision to end a painful existence. In such a state, a person can freely talk about completing things or about methods of suicide. This topic ceases to be taboo for him.

If one or more of these symptoms has been observed for more than a month, this is a reason to think about how to get a person out of depression. With a mild stage, you can cope on your own. But with more severe manifestations, when a person talks about suicide, you should immediately consult a psychotherapist.

To determine whether you are depressed, first look for sudden changes in habits. For example, isolation is a sign of depression, but only in a person who cannot spend a minute without communication.

What should you not do when trying to lift a person out of depression?

For an unprepared person who wants to help a depressed friend, it can be difficult to come up with a plan of action. However, the first thing you shouldn’t do is regret. Showing a feeling of pity will further convince a person of his own inferiority.

It will be even more difficult to get out of this state. You can sincerely sympathize, but then explain to your friend that his affairs are actually not so bad. If he takes care of himself and stops wasting time, his life can change for the better.

It is important to remember that depression caused by serious reasons, for example, the death of a relative or a serious illness, will not go away so easily. A person will torment himself with painful memories for a long time. In order to cope with the problem, you definitely need to seek help from a specialist. For example, to the psychologist-hypnologist Nikita Valerievich Baturin. An experienced specialist will help to correctly lead a person out of a crisis, avoiding mistakes that could aggravate the individual’s condition.

Another problem worth paying attention to. Many people justify the depressed mood and negative attitude of a sick person with complex life problems. There's really nothing he can't handle. Any problem can be solved if you understand the reasons for its occurrence.

Psychologist

The method is not easy, but effective. Before you book her with a psychologist, talk to her, explain that you care about her and that you really care about her emotional state. If your friend is really close to you. she had to admit that it really would be better this way.

A specialist will help you find the root of her problem and provide ways to solve these problems in a short time. It is better to turn to a professional who has already been verified by someone. Of course, it will be better if you offer to pay for the first session as a reward for the fact that your friend decided to take such a bold step. Believe me, she will be very pleased.

Fighting depression in men

Not only women, but also men can fall into depression. True, representatives of the stronger sex hide their feelings for a long time. Their dissatisfaction with life is expressed in a depressed pessimistic mood, alcohol abuse, aggressive behavior, and assault.

You can help a man get out of a crisis if you have a heart-to-heart talk with him. It is advisable that the interlocutor be a man, for example, his close friend. You can't have a frank conversation with women. Men will not talk about their weaknesses and fears to the fair sex.

During the conversation, you need to find out the reasons for the current situation and outline ways to solve the problem. It is advisable to offer the person your help and support. It may be recommended to seek help from a psychologist.

Those who want to help a friend cope with a depressed depressive state must be persistent. You can invite a man to go fishing, go hiking, join a fitness club or go swimming. It is important to get out of a crisis situation by any means: by switching attention to joyful events or changing the environment. The sincere support of a friend will help you get out of any dead end in life.

What is depression and its symptoms

To understand how to help yourself or a loved one get out of depression, you first need to decide what kind of disease it is and what the reasons for its occurrence are. From a medical point of view, depression is considered a psycho-emotional disorder, accompanied by a lack of interest in surrounding objects and objects, negative thinking, decreased ability to work and other disorders.

Symptoms of depression will help to detect this problem in time; it manifests itself in several signs:

1. Emotional manifestations:

• depressed state, melancholy, depressed mood;
• feeling of internal tension, anxiety, sensations of impending trouble;
• irritability;
• tendency to self-blame;
• low self-esteem and self-doubt;
• lack of interest in the environment;
• inability to empathize.

1. Physiological manifestations:

• drowsiness or insomnia;
• problems with bowel function (tendency to constipation);
• overeating or lack of appetite;
• lack of sexual desire or decreased needs in the intimate sphere;
• lack of vital energy and strength, fatigue and weakness;
• pain in the muscles, stomach, heart.

1. Behavioral manifestations:

• low assimilation of new information;
• passivity;
• avoiding any contact;
• reluctance to relax and have fun;
• abuse of alcohol and drugs that temporarily alleviate the condition.

In addition, depression affects thought processes, it becomes difficult for a person to concentrate on anything, make decisions, and gloomy negative thoughts predominate in the head. In severe cases, patients begin to think about their own uselessness and even suicide . The end result is a slowdown in thinking, intellectual and physical actions.

Expert opinion

Victor Brenz

Psychologist and self-development expert

It is clear that many of these symptoms occur periodically in every person, but this does not mean the presence of depression. Only when such manifestations persist for 2 weeks or longer can we speak of a diagnosis of depression.

How to help a woman overcome depression?

Women are more vulnerable, suspicious, they more often suffer from depressive disorder. In order to get a person out of a sad and depressed state, you need to talk to him and find out the reason for his dissatisfaction with life. It is advisable to be patient and persistent. A woman will not always open her soul and tell what is in her heart.

Sometimes the cause of mental illness is far-fetched and groundless. In this case, you need to convince the woman that she should not despair, her fears are just a figment of fantasy. If the cause of the crisis is the death of a loved one, then you need to convince the woman to close the door to the past, leaving all the unpleasant memories behind a mentally erected barrier.

Nothing helps a woman out of despondency more than sincere live communication and entertainment. You can watch a comedy film, buy tickets to a concert, treat yourself to new purchases, and radically change your appearance. In a difficult crisis situation, it is advisable not to isolate yourself within four walls.

Help for depression - algorithm of actions

1. Study the disease, how it manifests itself, and how the sick person feels. This way, you will know better what to say and what exactly you need to help get out of the impasse;
2. Show tolerance and restraint during contact with a sick person; you can only help a withdrawn person through perseverance;
3. Try to convince the person that the help of a specialist is not a diagnosis of his madness. Give examples that in many European countries people turn to a psychologist constantly, this allows them to help them cope with many difficulties in life and get out of depression;
4. If a person agrees to a meeting with a specialist, be sure to accompany him there, perhaps even tell the psychologist your vision of the situation;
5. Try to recreate the person’s former lifestyle, involve him in activity, offer to do what previously brought him pleasure, offer to go to the cinema, theater, restaurant, bowling alley, etc.;
6. Convince the woman that one therapy session may not help resolve the impasse. Tell them that there is nothing wrong with regular visits to a psychologist until your friend returns to her normal life and feels the strength to get out of depression;
7. Take a man's complaints as an integral part of the manifestation of depression. Even a strong person sometimes wants to give in and complain about life;
8. Take on some of the important decisions in his life. A depressed person does not want to be responsible for anything. The dropped burden of responsibility will help him get out of oppression;
9. Focus on the victories that the sick person has already achieved. Praise him wherever he managed to succeed, even if it’s small things. This should help get out of depression;
10. Always do what you promised to your sick son, for example. A person with a mental disorder is very sensitive to everything that happens. Otherwise, your son will get a new reason for disappointment, and you will not be able to help him get out of his psychological impasse.

How to help a friend get through a breakup or divorce?

Many people experience separation from loved ones painfully. This is natural, because in this case a person loses someone with whom he is accustomed, with whom he shared his joyful and negative thoughts, with whom he trusted and with whom he experienced positive emotions.

You can help a friend who is depressed due to a breakup with a loved one. To do this, you just need to have a heart-to-heart talk with your friend. There is no need to feel sorry, support him in despondency and overly exaggerate the weight of the loss. It is advisable to encourage the person, to say that life will get better, he will soon meet a worthy life partner.

It is especially difficult to start a new life after a divorce. After all, the person already lived with his loved one under the same roof and ran the household together. Perhaps the divorced couple had children together. After divorce, women who are left with small children usually suffer from depression. They will have to earn a piece of bread on their own and take care of raising their children.

If you want to help a woman who has divorced her husband, you need to be patient. First of all, it is necessary to make her believe in her own strength and external attractiveness. It is important to raise self-esteem. If a person finds himself in a difficult situation, he should know that he can cope with any problems and even improve his personal life.

You might be advised to get rid of things that will remind her of her unfaithful spouse. It is advisable to renovate the apartment and change the furniture. The mood of any woman will improve if she transforms her appearance. For example, he will get his hair done, new makeup, lose weight or, conversely, gain weight. You can do your wardrobe. Buy new clothes, fashionable shoes, expensive perfume.

Particular attention should be paid to work. After all, a divorced woman will have to provide for herself and her children on her own. I can advise you to make a career. Although, not in every situation an employee can count on a promotion. If for some reason you are not satisfied with the job, it is advisable to start looking for another suitable vacancy.

After a divorce, a woman needs to get used to the new state. Now she doesn’t have to report to her husband for every purchase or for coming home late from work. She can do whatever she wants, date whoever she wants. Can sign up for driving courses, jump with a parachute. If life closes one door, it opens another. It is important not to regret the past, but to move into the future as actively as possible.

Specialized assistance for people with depression

Psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists can provide qualified assistance to a person with depression. If for any reason you do not want to go to the hospital, there are private practitioners individually or in psychological support groups.

There are two main approaches to treating depression: medication and psychotherapy. Most practitioners agree that the best results are achieved by a combination of these approaches. For mild depression, psychotherapy alone is often sufficient. But it is better to entrust the choice of treatment approach to a specialist.

Drug therapy

There is a whole group of new generation antidepressants that can relieve depression. Antidepressants regulate the action of neurotransmitters, as a result of which a person’s mood improves, energy appears, sleep is normalized, tone and ability to be active increase. Antidepressants relieve symptoms, and a person has the strength to overcome depression. In some cases (for example, with bipolar disorder), these drugs can be taken for preventive purposes.

It is important to remember that antidepressants must be selected individually and taken strictly as prescribed by the doctor! Self-medication is a threat to human health!

A doctor can prescribe anxiolytic drugs to a depressed person, which have a sedative, relaxing effect, and reduce the manifestations of fear, anxiety, and tension.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

This is one of the most effective areas of psychological work for depression. Such therapy takes place in the form of individual meetings with a psychotherapist, who in dialogue will address the rational and healthy part of the personality, ask the person questions that help him look differently at his life situation, and challenge the negative attitudes that led the person to depression. With the support of a psychotherapist, a person will develop and apply new, effective patterns of behavior and interaction with others.

Interpersonal therapy

A person may become depressed due to problems in relationships with other people, intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict.

In this case, the specialist builds work with the patient on the basis of interpersonal therapy, teaching him the “view of an outside observer” and the ability to take the position of a communication partner. This can happen in the format of family therapy. Spouses or partners, with the support of a psychotherapist, will master the skills of dialogue and environmentally friendly expression of their desires and needs.

Psychodynamic therapy

This method of psychological work with a depressed person is based on the principles of psychoanalysis. The specialist turns to the experience of the past, helping the patient to identify the reasons due to which his destructive attitudes, unhealthy habits, and ineffective patterns of behavior were formed. Emergency (1-2 sessions) or short-term psychodynamic therapy significantly improves a person’s quality of life.

In the future, this method can be used to prevent episodes of depression.

It is important to understand that the worst thing that can happen to a person who is depressed is loneliness! Left alone, we may not be able to withstand the burden of the symptoms that have fallen on us. The help of loved ones, relatives, spouses, specialists who know how to pull a person out of depression is priceless. Be attentive to the psychological state of your loved ones, support them in difficult times - and you will open the way for them to get out of the most severe depressive impasse!

How to cope with depression after the death of a loved one?

Many people experience the heaviest psychological blow after the death of a loved one. Grief sometimes paralyzes the will so much and throws it out of the usual rut of life that people for a long time cannot recover, come to their senses, or get down to work or what they love. Sad thoughts prevent a person from enjoying life, being happy, having fun. When people are depressed, they do not experience any positive emotions. They live in the past, nursing their wounds daily.

You can help cope with the crisis if you sincerely talk with the person and explain to him that tears will not help the grief and will not bring anything back. The best healer is time. True, it does not heal, but it slightly softens the perception of a sad event. A month later, a person comes to terms with his loss; the memory of the death of a loved one does not bring him as much mental suffering as in the first time after his death.

Many psychiatrists recommend that people who have lost loved ones turn to religion. By visiting church, you can come to your senses after what happened, tune in to the positive, and bring your state of mind back to normal.

How to recognize depression?

It is quite difficult to identify a disease in a person, since a psychological disorder has multifaceted and individual manifestations. In one case, a depressed state can be a short-term reaction to external factors, and in another, it can be a deep trauma of the soul, which only a specialist can help cope with.

If you want to help a friend cope with depression, pay attention to his mood, way of thinking and physical activity.

A man affected by the disease does not want to do anything; any action, even the most basic, seems like an impossible task.
A person welcomes a solitary stay, does not want to go outside his apartment, prefers to lie on the sofa, the thought of a walk makes him dislike. A characteristic sign of the disease is inhibited thought processes.

It is extremely difficult for a person to concentrate on anything; attention is constantly scattered. Those tasks that you handled quickly before now take a lot of time.

Signs of depression and how to understand that a person needs help:

• Difficulty falling asleep quickly, symptoms of insomnia. At the same time, a person tends to get up early, although the body has not yet had time to rest;
• A woman has to go through the most anxious hours in the morning and evening. During the day, experiences are smoothed out by the bustle of affairs, but after they are resolved, you again return to tormenting thoughts, and the condition worsens;
• The appearance of the person becomes indifferent, the person begins to look worse;
• Desire for privacy - a girl who leads an active social life now wants to be alone. She becomes withdrawn, she spends the lion's share of her day lying down, and does not want to leave the room;
• Those things that previously brought pleasure become indifferent;
• It is difficult to believe in a better future, everything seems doomed;
• It seems that the person himself is to blame for everything, expresses claims to himself, finds his personality unnecessary;
• The presence of autonomic disorders - rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, abdominal discomfort, constipation, irregularities in the menstrual cycle, heart pain.

How to get out of depression after surgery or serious illness?

Sometimes a sudden illness knocks a person out of his usual smooth life. The cause of a severe crisis can be frequent stress, poor nutrition, bad habits, and an unfavorable environmental situation. Any illness is always a retribution for an incorrect lifestyle and a late response to signals given by the body.

A person who has fallen ill with an incurable disease experiences a particularly severe mental crisis. After all, the hands on his life clock are spinning in the opposite direction. Every day a person fades away, finding reasons for fun is not so easy. In such a situation, it is best to seek help from a psychologist.

People experience severe mental shock after a complex operation. Their body is very weak at such a moment; it needs to learn to function in a new way. After all, surgical intervention always affects some vital organs. The sincere support of friends and relatives will help you recover faster and recover from illness.

During the recovery period, you need to pay more attention to proper nutrition. It is advisable to eat dietary foods, more cereals, fruits, vegetables, fish and lean meat. Moderate physical activity will help you recover faster. You can't spend all your time in bed. You need to take at least a walk every day. When the condition improves and the person gets stronger, you can go for a walk, for example, in a public garden or park.

Depression is an involuntary reaction of the body to some unfavorable event. By nature, it is human nature to enjoy life and cherish every moment spent on Earth. If a person becomes depressed, it means that changes have occurred in his life or body.

Difficulties in communication, problems with family or at work lead to a person losing faith in himself. His psyche “breaks”. He begins to perceive the world exclusively in black tones. External problems can be aggravated by internal dysfunctions of the body. An insufficient amount of hormones and vital energy leads to a loss of strength and plunges a person into the abyss of misfortune.

You can get out of a severe depressive state with the support of caring friends and relatives. However, if a person has suicidal thoughts, he should consult a psychotherapist. In more severe cases, treatment is carried out by a psychiatrist. The sooner a person turns to a specialist, the easier it will be for him to get out of the crisis.

Severe depression, what to do?

If a man, woman, teenager or your loved one has depression or severe apathy and he doesn’t want anything, and you don’t know what to do and you want to help him and support him, then here are a few rules that you should follow. The general rule is to avoid statements and phrases that focus more on your own anxiety in the face of a difficult, heartbreaking situation. Statements that place blame on the depressed person's willpower, lack of motivation, or negative mental attitude often backfire and increase feelings of isolation and hopelessness.

These statements sometimes come from a fundamental misunderstanding of the disease depression. It is a psychosocial condition that traps its victims in a closed mindset that creates vulnerable, despondent thinking patterns. Both men and women fall into a state of severe depression, and people fall into this state for completely different reasons, for example, due to the loss of a job or the loss of a loved one.

So what can we do and what should we say to support someone who is trapped in depression? How can you show compassion and understanding?

How to get someone out of depression from a distance?

When communicating by phone or on the Internet with loved ones suffering from depression, people feel that they are in a depressed mood and have sluggish speech. They are reluctant to answer questions about their personal lives. Is it possible to somehow change the situation and help a loved one in a crisis situation? Psychologists say it is possible. It is advisable that telephone or Internet correspondence consist of short phrases. You need to communicate on the following topics: mutual friends, new movies, weather, funny stories, jokes.

Communication should always take place in a positive, cheerful manner. You need to “infect” a person with your positivity, distract him from sad thoughts, set him up for a joyful wave, and restore faith in his own strength. A person in a depressed state should feel that he is loved and that he has friends who are ready to help.

Don't talk nonsense

The most idiotic things you can say:

• You need to eat healthy foods and exercise.
• Why are you sad?

If your friend is acting strange and you can't figure out why, think about the all-knowing Google. You can find detailed explanations of the symptoms on the Internet, although it would be better to consult a doctor.

Don't bother your friend with questions about how he feels. Don't force him to convince you that depression is a real and serious illness that is not at all like small bursts of sadness. He doesn't have time for this. Now he is busy only with his illness.

Treatment for depression is only delayed due to the condescending attitude of others. It is impossible to feel comfortable in such a situation.

That’s why when you’re depressed, it’s so necessary for a friend to say, “There’s no need to hide anything. This is a real disease, but it is not your fault. Would you like a piece of apple pie? Here you go. A very tiny piece. Quite tiny, right? You see, it’s much better now.”

How to get a person out of depression without his knowledge?

People who do not want to change their already habitual depressive way of thinking sometimes do not consider themselves sick. It is absolutely impossible to force such a person to see a psychotherapist. True, it is possible to bring him out of a depressive depressed state unnoticed, that is, without his knowledge.

It is prohibited to mix antidepressants or sedatives into a person’s food. The medication is prescribed only by a healthcare professional based on the established diagnosis. You can invite friends to your house and chat with the person. Live communication is better than any antidepressant. It is advisable to take the person out for a walk, you can go to a park, restaurant, store. It is important not to isolate yourself within four walls, but to move and communicate as much as possible.

What to do if a person doesn’t want anything

The husband does not want intimacy with his wife - the causes of the problem and advice from a psychologist

It happens that once a person gets depressed, he cannot get out of it for a long time. Then the family begins to sound the alarm, trying to alleviate his unhealthy condition. However, such attempts do not always lead to success. How to help a depressed person? It is difficult to find a definite answer, because each person is individual. However, psychologists recommend already proven techniques that will help partially solve the problem:

• Try to unobtrusively bring the patient into a frank conversation. You can’t go straight into the soul; supportive actions will help the patient speak out, partly replacing a conversation with a psychologist.
• Get involved in active activities, sports, walks in the fresh air. This will help relieve physical stress and improve the patient's mood.
• It can be difficult to invite friends and relatives to a meeting, but if possible, the beginning of a way out of depression has been made.
• A change of environment helps to distract from bad thoughts, for example, rearranging furniture, going on an excursion, or having a picnic with friends in the fresh air. It is advisable to convince the person that loneliness will not lead to anything good.

Important! A depressed person needs to see that he is not alone, there are people who are ready to provide support.

During a period of depression, a person needs help and support from loved ones