2 Things You Don’t Say to Someone Who Is Depressed
"In the United States, in 2020, about 21 million adults and 4.1 million adolescents (NIMH, 2022) suffered at least one major depressive episode (MDE), not to mention those affected by other forms of depression.
1. "What do you have to be depressed about?"
2. "Just snap out of it!" or "Think happy thoughts!"
"Just think happy thoughts" is similarly pointless advice; if it were a mere game of positive versus negative imagery, nobody would be depressed. Sure, cognitive therapy helps restructure pervasively negative core schema that perpetuates depression, but it's more sophisticated than "just thinking happy thoughts."
The alternative: Rather than "snap out" or "think happy thoughts," some more constructive commentary would follow on the heels of the "What's it like for you?" above. One example is, "What's been helpful in trying to manage it all?" As taught in solution-oriented psychotherapy, getting someone to realize they're at least doing something to keep it from being worse than it has to be can feel empowering, as it provides a semblance of control over the situation. Another approach is to reassure them and let them know they have a support network in you."
@comfortableNight4463
I wish I could retweet this!
Sometimes we may not always not know how to be there for our friends/loved ones who are depressed.
These are great tips on what NOT to say!
I think it can also be supportive is to show empathy.
Thanks for the post night!💛✨
@innateJoy9602 Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@comfortableNight4463 Don't point out that someone is depressed all the time. It can make someone feel like they have to hide the depression - which is just more depressing
Offer to listen if they'd like to talk about it. Ask if they'd like help with anything because depression can be exhausting and cause motivation to drop to zero
@mytwistedsoul These are great responses! Thanks for sharing them!
@comfortableNight4463 This is such an important topic. It's crucial to try to empathize with people as we don't know what they may be going through.
Being judgemental doesn't help anyone and accepting that the healing process is long and challenging is ironically the first step to heal!
Thank you for the great post!
@calmDew1576 I agree! Judgement only makes them more hesitant to seek support. It's very important to be empathetic and show them support. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I'm here to listen and be there for you if you need someone to talk to
@millipede03 This is a great thing to say to someone who suffers from depression. letting them know that you're there for them does wonders. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@comfortableNight4463