A Guide by Inspiron Psychological Well-Being Centre People diagnosed with depression often experience a wide range of self-care, personal, and interpersonal difficulties. It is, in essence, a serious mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide, often characterized by challenges not only for the individual but also for their families Awareness of how to support someone with depression can be a significant part of Supporting them. While any mental health condition and its representation are unique to each individual, we at Inspiron are dedicated to guiding families and friends through this difficult journey, ensuring that they give them the Suitable tools and understanding to offer meaningful support. Here’s how you can help a loved one cope with depression.
1. Know about Depression
The first and most important step is to understand what they are going through: depression is a Psychiatric condition. It is more than sadness or a phase of grief. While its primary symptoms can be persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest in daily activities, fatigue, or even actual physical pain, it may be well overlooked in individuals who may learn to keep their experiences to themselves. Educational research into symptoms and the nature of depression will enable you to be supportive and informed on how you can support your loved one.
At Inspiron, we educate and offer informative material to the Client and their family so that they can better understand the complexity of depression. We advise the family to read credible sources or reach out to us further on the causes, symptoms, and treatments available.
2. Safe and Judgment-Free Space
The experience of depression may lead to feelings of guilt or shame and even lead to self-isolation. What you can do to offer support to your loved one is provide a non-judgmental space where they can open up about what they feel. Listen fully and show them that you care. Minimize telling them you had worse times or try to downplay their feelings as their experience is their own and it can be quite different from your experiences.
At Inspiron Psychological Well-Being Centre, when one exhibits depressive symptoms and needs understanding and support from their family, we ensure being available for the same, thus, working with families to develop trust utilizing understandable communication.
3. Encourage Professional Help
It is no doubt that family and friends play a significant role in emotional support, but a condition like depression also needs professional support exclusively. Encourage, and be present with them as they seek additional support from a professional. Reduce the minimization of their concerns and be there for them unconditionally. At Inspiron, every member of the team is an experienced therapist and psychologist who offers individualized treatment plans, and for those who need it, therapy and medication. Our team members are also certified QPR Gatekeepers.
You can also remind them gently that seeking help doesn’t make them inferior but instead is a step toward recovery. You can also help them find a suitable therapist or accompany them to the therapist’s office. Normalise the act of seeking help yourself to inspire them.
4. Offer Practical Support
Depression can be so debilitating that even minor things in life become major challenges to cope with. Doing something as simple as cooking cleaning or even getting out of bed could seem like a huge task. Practical support by a caregiver can help alleviate some of these challenges and show there is a lot more you’re willing to do to help instead of just providing emotional support.
Encourage loved ones to take small but impactful actions. Whether it is helping get groceries, driving to appointments, or just being there when needed, it makes all the difference in that person’s everyday life.
5. Be proactive about healthy habits
Depression can have a profound effect on one’s daily routine and affect one’s basic and major functioning such as eating, sleep and ability to focus on personal and work-related tasks. Healthy routines include regular sleep, balanced meals, and even light exercises, but you have to be unobtrusive and not force the situation since that might create much pressure on already difficult situations.
A major aspect of recovery from and management of any mental health condition is to take measures to get back to or even move closer to the previous level of healthy functioning. Our experienced psychologists at Inspiron support these changes and support you in building resilience by providing evidence-based tools and techniques through psychotherapy, co-therapy and self-care toolkits.
6. Don’t Expect Recovery to be Linear
Recovery from depression is not linear. One’s progress can fluctuate, leading to days of feeling better and some days of low mood and motivation. It is important to be patient and not place any expectations on how soon your loved one should get better.
At Inspiron, we assist families to understand the intricacies of recovery and ensure that they understand their need for patience. We believe that there should be ongoing, long-term counselling for both the individual and their support systems so that everyone involved can achieve the goals of the concerned individual’s recovery.
7. Manage Your Own Emotions and Self-care
You can only care for a loved one to the best of your abilities if you can ensure that you are taking care of yourself. It is only natural for one to experience burnout, or even a sense of frustration while managing your expectations in line with the reality of your loved one’s recovery. It is essential that you process your emotions, pleasant or unpleasant, as you experience them and also ensure the continuation of your routine, self-care, sleep and appetite while taking care of the loved one. Inspiron has curated several caregiver burnout and self-care tools to support you. Reach out to us today to obtain more information on how you could obtain these tools.
8. Encourage Socialization, But Respect Their Limitation
Isolation may worsen depression, whereas social interaction may simultaneously overwhelm the individual during this condition. While you must encourage your loved one to stay in contact with friends and family ensure that you are also able to respect personal boundaries while doing so.
At Inspiron, we help individual clients along with those important to them in finding a balance between the need to socialize and a need for personal space. Our workshops, self-care toolkits and co-therapy program are specially designed to equip you and your loved one to navigate through social situations, among other aspects.
9. Avoid Giving Easy Answers
It is only natural to want to “fix” the loved one, but suggestions such as “just be positive” or “go for a walk” may often come across as dismissive even when you mean it with the best of intentions. Steady emotional support without unsolicited advice, however, is probably what any person with mental health concerns may need at the time. Depressive episodes and symptoms can be persistent. Hence, a quick fix may not be the most suitable for your loved one.
At Inspiron, we support families through the transition from solution-based thinking into support-based action, knowing that your presence and compassion often go much further than advice.
Conclusion
Depressive symptoms may be varied and expressed in different individuals. Support your loved one in the manner they need becomes extremely crucial for better outcomes in recovery. Providing your loved one with compassion, empathy and understanding could be the first step in supporting them. Inspiron Psychological Well-Being Centre makes every best effort by providing you with a spectrum of resources that ranges from one-to-one therapy sessions to family counselling which will help individuals and their loved ones navigate the management of the condition and recovery together.
If you or someone close to you are battling depression, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We are here for you, providing that support and guidance along with the path to a healthier, happier life.
Schedule a call with us today to learn more about the support that inspires your mental health and well-being.
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