The best way for you to help your
friend or family member is to offer encouragement and emotional
support during this hard time.
Give encouragement.
First, you need to help the person get proper diagnosis
and treatment. This could mean getting your loved one to
see a doctor in the first place. You might even need to
make an appointment and go to the doctor with him or her.
Once on treatment, you should encourage the person to follow
it as advised and stay on treatment, even after getting
better.
Provide support emotionally.
Invite the person for walks, for trips out, to the movies,
and to other activities that once gave him or her pleasure.
Gently insist if your loved one says no.
Have conversations with him or her and listen carefully.
Don't criticize. Instead, try to point out the positive
and offer hope.
Don't ignore remarks about suicide. Tell the person's doctor
or therapist.
It is important for everyone involved to know that depression
and anxiety can affect family and close friends as well.
Don't push the person to do too much too soon. Your loved
one needs your company and to be distracted, but too many
demands can make him or her feel worse.
Although you might be prepared to do anything and everything
to help, don't try to take over your loved one's life. The
person might seem overwhelmed, helpless or frustrated, but
you can't fix his or her life.
Eventually, with treatment, most people do get better. Keep
that in mind. Keep encouraging your friend or family member
that, with time and help, he or she will feel better.
