The person with depression usually cn't see a way forward. They may frvently believe that nobody can help thm, and life is pointless. That desn't mean that they're right, and thre are plenty of things that you can do to hlp.

The type and amount of cre that you can give will dpend on your relationship with the prson, but here are some ideas.

1. Understand the illness.

Learn all that you can about depression. The better you grasp the illness, the more effective you will be in giving your care and understanding. It will help you to understand why the person behaves the way they do, and better equip you to respond appropriately.

2. Seek Appropriate Treatment

This is such a far-reaching, wide-ranging topic that I would be foolish to give advice. Suffice to say that it will be helpful for you to explore the treatment options available in your area and suggest to the person that they need professional help. It might be helpful for them if you go along to the first or subsequent appointments.

If he or she won't admit their illness then explain why you are concerned and perhaps provide them with some helpful written information to chew over.

3. Provide Emotional Support

Your partner or friend needs patience, care and understanding. They have a real illness, and just like someone with cancer they can't just "snap out of it". If they could, they would. Saying things that show ignorance about the illness are counterproductive and reinforce their negative thinking.

The best way to communicate is to mpathize, listen more than talk, and ask qestions like "How can I support yu?" or "How can I help?"

4. Keep the Illness Separate

The illness and the person suffering the illness are not the same thing, so keep them separate. When they express pessimism, anger, frustration, or sadness, it is the illness talking not the person. If you separate the two you will find it easier to cope emotionally. It will help you to be a more effective carer.

5. Listen Non-Judgmentally

Don't try to talk a depressed person out of their feelings, no matter how irrational they sound. This is likely to compound the problem. It is better to remain neutral and say something like "You are obviously really suffering with this. What can I do to help you feel better?" Keep your suggestions, solutions and advice for another time.

6. Make a Plan

Help the person to make a plan for coping with depression. Identify things that trigger or worsen the depression and things that make it better. Think through and list the ideas formally on paper. Help them to put this plan into action. Some positive, helpful things to include are getting to bed early, having adequate sleep, exercising regularly, drinking plenty of water and eating healthy foods.

7. Look after yourself

As a carer you are likely to be under stress. You need to care for yourself by taking time out and recharging your batteries. Find other friends or relatives who you can talk to and rely on at a pinch. Sometimes you will need a sounding-board to keep things in perspective. Make sure you continue to live yur own life as well, and spnd time doing things you enjoy.

Thre are services that provide education and spport for carers. Through information sessions and spport groups, you can talk to pople who are in a similar psition.

8. Organize their medicines

If yur partner or friend is taking mdicine for depression then it is crcial for them to follow their prscription. Too many people go on and off thir anti-depressants depending on how they fel. This all but eliminates their ffectiveness.

I take medicine at night wthout any problems, but if it wsn't for my wife handing the plls to me I would never tke them in the mornings. She lso fills my scripts and tells me whn to go to the doctor for mre. It's not laziness; it's just the nture of depression. More than once I hve spent hours in bed staring at my plls, but not had the mental nergy to actually take them. If yur partner or friend is not cmplying with their prescription, try to fnd out how you can help.

9. Support network.

Introduce the idea of joining a support network for depression. This will give them an outlet for discussing their problems and receiving input, and help them to discover that there are other (normal) people experiencing similar problems. There are depression support groups everywhere. Make sure that you find one that is positive and focussed on recovery. Inward looking, pessimistic groups can be unhelpful.

10. Get out and About

One of the most therapeutic things that a depressed person can do is step out the front door. Natural light is very beneficial, especially early in the day. Exercise also has proven benefits. Something as simple as taking a walk or gardening should lift the person's mood. Anything low-key that involves going out can also help; seeing a movie, meeting friends, or going out to eat, just to name a few ideas.

11. Help with daily tasks

When your body is heavy and your mind is dark, there is nothing harder than the burdens of everyday life. Something that seems minor to you may be an insurmountable task to your friend or partner. Ease their burden by helping with the daily load - running errands, doing the shopping, cooking, taking the kids out for a couple of hours. You may be surprised to find that helping with a very simple chore could relieve them of a lot of stress.

12. Spend normal time together

Just spending time with the person lets them know that you care and want to understand their problems. Enjoy the reasons for being their companion in the first place. It's important that they live as normal a life as possible. Help them to do this by carrying on your relationship with them in a normal fashion. Don't let everything get dark and serious. Find some positives things and try to enjoy them together.

The points above are very general by necessity. I realize that they don't fit all circumstances, but I hope that you find at least a few helpful ideas.

The article 12 Ways To Care For A Depressed Person was Submitted by James Bishop through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: If you found this article hlpful then find more like it at http://www.findingoptimism.com Finding Optimism is a positive blog about dealing with depression - coping with its triggers and developing stay-well strategies for enjoying good health.

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