How do I talk to a friend who is depressed?

Often the simplest way to initiate a conversation is to be direct—ask your friend if they are depressed. Don’t accuse, threaten, blame, or make light of what your friend is feeling. Let them know that you are there to talk about it. Research has shown that people tend to withdraw when they are depressed,…

What happens when a friend with depression pulls away?

From there, the friend may think, “ If my support was helping, my friend wouldn’t still be depressed ” and this leads them to give up on the friendship completely. It may feel like the depressed friend is pulling away from the friendship. But this is usually a symptom of the depression itself.

What to say to someone who is going through depression?

“I’m Here for You”. Depression can feel as if no one understands what you are feeling or even cares enough to begin to understand, which can be isolating and overwhelming. When you reach out to a friend, letting them know that you are going to be there every step of the way can be very reassuring.

How do you ask a friend if they’re having trouble talking?

Your friend may not feel like talking the first time you ask, so it can help to continue telling them you care. Keep asking open questions (without being pushy) and expressing your concern. Try to have conversations in person whenever possible. If you live in different areas, try video chatting.

Let your friend know that you are there for them. Depression can make people feel isolated and like no one cares. Even if you have demonstrated your concern by doing things to help your friend, he or she may need to hear you say that you are there for them in order to believe it.

What happens when you say the wrong thing to a depressed person?

But saying the wrong thing will just make the depressed person feel more lonely and detached from you. Or, to be more precise, saying something that shows that you haven’t tried at all to understand clinical depression will make the depressed person feel that way.

How do I know if my friend has been cured of depression?

Watch for recurrences of depression symptoms. Just because your friend is feeling better does not mean that he or she is cured. Depression is episodic, which means that it often comes back. It is common for people who have depression to suffer from multiple bouts of depression over a lifetime.

How do you deal with a depressed person?

In those times, try to avoid offering solutions. The solution is to not be depressed, and it can make a depressed person feel like more of a failure because they can’t get back to being happy when it sounds so simple to everyone else.