Recommendations for Family Members of a Person Suffering from Depression

Supporting a person suffering from depression is an essential factor in their recovery. Your presence, as a family member or other close person, willing to support the person in such suffering, has a vital role, not at all easy, but success can be very rewarding when the period of acute suffering is over.

Most of the time, supporting a person who is going through a depressive episode is a difficult task and, perhaps, without the deserved and expected appreciation, requires a lot of patience and perseverance. Therefore, it is important to have a good understanding of what depression means, what your role is in the recovery process and where the line is drawn between will and ability, between what can be changed and what cannot be changed and should be accepted, both for you and the depressed person.

Below are some recommendations to guide you in your relationship with a depressed person. But first of all, it is very important to remember that a good understanding of the common symptoms of depression and how you can best deal with them can be extremely helpful. You will find that many of the obstacles that prevent the depressed person from accepting the support offered can be overcome.

1. Among the general recommendations are a dominantly supportive, warm, empathetic attitude, treating the depressed person with patience, understanding, and responsibility.

It is good to accept the reality that attests to the present vulnerability and to see what can be done to improve the situation, not to try to minimize the problem or deny its existence. There is also a need for sustained attention to the person who is suffering, which can be shown by telling them in an authentic way (when you feel the need) that you are close to them, that you care, that you are interested in healing. and be better.

2. Don't forget the activities that both of you enjoy and that invite you to relax together - a movie, walks in the park or the city, outings on the terrace, meetings with friends.

3. Extremely important is the total lack of criticism or judgment regarding the vulnerable situation in which the loved one finds himself. A mental disorder is not something to be criticized or ridiculed, nor to be minimized. Just as a cardiovascular patient cannot be criticized for a heart attack, a person with depression must be recognized for a certain disability caused by the presence of the disorder, even if it seems more difficult to understand.

A critique can hurt a depressed person, it is preferable to have a supportive, empathetic, understanding attitude towards the difficulties he is going through. The real state of helplessness most often experienced by people with depression is extremely difficult.

4. Depression is a negative state that is hard to bear in itself, where everything can be felt overwhelming. As a result, as much as possible, do not bring traumatic or stressful events from the past, they would only have the effect of triggering negative states, which would maintain the state of dysfunction in the future.

5. Don't forget to take care of your well-being and health at the same time.

You need to take care of yourself so that you can help your loved one who is suffering. This care includes proper nutrition and rest, as well as psycho-emotional resources that will give you the support you need. It is necessary to feel that you have other family members, friends, or colleagues with you.

Depression can occur for a variety of reasons and can be caused by several factors - contextual (a recent significant event, a significant loss, a traumatic family history, a pregnancy, etc.), biological, or relational.

It is a complex condition and requires the support of a specialist with training and experience in the field of mental health, both for the affected person and to help you understand the particularities of the manifestation of the disorder and the most appropriate way to be helpful.

Therefore, the recommendation is not to try to be a therapist for the depressed person or to force the person out of depression by telling them what you think they should do to get rid of depression. Although you are an important resource for both the depressed person and the specialist who will take care of it, sometimes your perception may be overshadowed by your feelings about it and you may lose your objectivity.

It is preferable to encourage her to talk to people who have specialized training and who understand the dynamics of the psyche and mental disorders.