Supporting a Friend Who Has Depression

Depression is a serious disorder that, unfortunately, is very common among students. Research shows that in 2022, the number of American students diagnosed with depression reached 33%. Another sad fact is that, while the condition is treatable, not all affected people seek professional psychological support.

If you have a depressed friend or a loved one, you may want to help them get better and convince them to go to therapy. Well, we are here to tell you that your support is valuable and may be instrumental in their recovery!

Understanding Your Friend’s Depression

If you’ve never had to deal with depression, you may have a hard time understanding what exactly your friend is going through. Let’s start with the basics.

"Depression is a severe psychological disorder that negatively affects your mood and disrupts your ability to function. Depression leads to a loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy. Affected people may feel persistent sadness and anxiety, a dramatic decrease in motivation and inspiration, and an unwillingness to live to the fullest."

Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about depression that contribute to the stigma surrounding it. Here are the key facts you should know:

Depression is a mental disorder. Don’t underestimate its adverse effect on mental well-being.
If a depressed person suddenly starts lashing out at you, and it scares you, remember that the core of the issue is not in your behavior or theirs. The problem lies in your friend’s mental state.
Depression significantly reduces motivation. So, if you want to help your friend, give them time to gather strength and make the first step towards recovery.
Remember that you can’t provide professional psychological support, but you can set your friend in the right direction toward rehabilitation and support them throughout their journey.

Depression Types

When you deal with depression, it’s essential to know what type it is. Each one has different causes and symptoms:

Clinical depression is a severe mental disorder with intense symptoms lasting for two or more weeks. Clinical depression interferes with everyday life and causes severe problems to psychological and physical health.
Bipolar depression is associated with dramatic mood swings. People with bipolar disorder constantly move from low to high phases. During the low periods, they are unmotivated to function normally, while the high periods lead to an over-energetic lifestyle.
Dysthymia is a slighter form of depression compared to other types. However, this is a long-lasting condition with a duration of two years or longer.
Postpartum depression is a condition that some people face after giving birth. It is often confused with “baby blues.” But there is an important distinction:
- “Baby blues” is a short-term condition that causes minor sadness and mood swings.
- In contrast, postpartum depression is a more serious long-lasting disorder that leads to insomnia, restlessness, excessive crying, anger, and other severe symptoms.
Seasonal depression (or seasonal affective disorder) is caused by a lack of sunlight. It usually lasts from the late fall or winter to spring or summer. People with seasonal depression may experience problems with sleep, concentration, and loss of appetite and energy.

Recognising the Symptoms

Have you noticed changes in your friend’s mood, appearance, or behavior? Keep an eye on them to understand if they are experiencing the symptoms of depression.

The most common signs of depression are:

Changes in behaviour

Loss of appetite or overeating
Drug abuse
Alcohol overconsumption
Loss of productivity
Permanent tiredness
Isolation from friends and family
Refusal to participate in favorite activities

Changes in mood

Permanent sadness and hopelessness
Anger, aggressiveness, irritability
Inability to deal with everyday stress factors
Overreaction to standard situations

Changes in appearance

Tired look (i.e., red eyes, pale skin, red circles under the eyes)
Dramatic weight gain or weight loss
Untidiness (dirty clothes, messy hair)

Besides changes in behavior, mood, and appearance, you may notice some verbal signs indicating depression:

Pay attention to what your friend is saying to you and others. If you hear phrases like “I’m worthless,” “I wish I didn’t wake up today,” or “my life is a mess,” that’s a red flag.
Also, keep track of what your friend is posting on social media. If you notice dark poetry, disturbing videos, songs, or suspicious hashtags (i.e., #igiveup, #imworthless, #imdone), your friend may be experiencing mental struggles.

Helping Someone with Depression: 9 Best Tips

Supporting a person battling with depression is a real challenge. We know how hard it is to provide the best possible help without sacrificing your own mental well-being. But there is a way! Here are the most actionable tips for assisting your friend on their way to recovery:

Educate yourself: First and foremost: do your research. If you don’t have personal experience with depression and you can’t relate, don’t pretend to be an expert. Instead, do your best to understand what’s happening to your friend.
Help them with chores: Practical help is precious to a depressed person. You may assist them with buying groceries, cleaning their apartment, and ensuring they visit a therapist regularly. Yet, we don’t recommend you do everything for them. Encourage them to stick to their daily routine. It will help them get back to normal life.
Create a supportive environment: Prove to your friend that you are always by their side. Be kind and sincere. Creating the right atmosphere is crucial: it will help your friend to put their trust in you.
Act as soon as possible: Depressive disorders are best healed if they are detected at an early stage. Once you notice changes in your friend’s behavior, talk to them as soon as possible. This may prevent the development of severe symptoms and lead to a quicker recovery.
Be kind and patient: You will need lots of patience to get your friend back on track. Recovery takes time, and they may become frustrated and angry with you along the way. Don’t let it discourage you: stay kind and supportive.
Suggest shared physical activities: Suggest that you grab a coffee or go for a walk outside. Alternatively, you may ask if they want to go cycling, jogging, or dancing with you. An active lifestyle is known to provoke positive emotions!
Keep in touch: Remain in contact with your depressed friend on a daily basis. Ask them about their well-being, offer assistance, and just be there for them. They will feel less lonely if you stay in touch with them.
Be a compassionate listener: When it comes to depression, listening may be even more important than talking. If your friend needs to share their feelings with someone, let them do it! Listen carefully without interrupting or judging them.
Encourage them to get professional help: Of course, your support is valuable, but you are not a psychology expert. Depression is treated best with professional help.

This article is an excerpt from a longer guide that was written by the team at Psychology Writing and contains even more essential information, handy tips, and plenty of resources. You can access this here: https://psychologywriting.com/blog/supporting-a-friend-who-has-depression-best-tips-resources/