Help Someone You Know.

Your emotional support and practical encouragement can be a lifeline to someone suffering from depression. Your help can be most effective if you:

• Help the person get appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
• Maintain as normal a relationship as possible.
• Point out distorted or negative thinking without being critical or disapproving.
• Acknowledge that the person is suffering and in pain.
• Offer kind words and pay compliments.
• Express affection.
• Show that you care about, respect and value the person.
• Help the person stay busy and active. Encourage simple pleasures, hobbies or activities, but don't push.
• Avoid blaming the person for symptoms of depression.
• Avoid criticizing or voicing disapproval until the depressed person is better able to cope.
• Avoid saying or doing anything that worsens the person's poor self-image.
• Help the person stick with treatment. If the depression doesn't begin to lessen after several weeks, or if a particular professional advisor or treatment plan seems ineffective, help the person find another.
• Express confidence that with time and help, the person will feel better.