

Moderated by
Monique Bivins, MA, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
I have a real passion for helping my clients to overcome life's obstacles . My work with clients is nonjudgmental, supportive, and interactive.
Top Rated Answers
You can always become a listener at 7cups of Tea and help those in need. You can also check your local community for other volunteer opportunities to help others.
I think that, most of all, you just need to be there for them. Listen to what they have to say, and help them in any way you can. But remember that your mental health is just as important as theirs is. :)
The best thing you can do for someone with depression is support his or her treatment. Tell your friend or loved one that depression is a medical problem and ignoring it will not make it go away.
"If someone breaks their leg, they are taken to a doctor or hospital,If someone has depression, they need medical care and psychosocial support.
It is important that you have an understanding of what they are going through and that you are very supportive of them
Anonymous
September 10th, 2015 9:11pm
Just listen to them, they need to vent out about a lot of things... And they dont want to hear about your problems, they want to share theirs.
Anonymous
September 11th, 2015 9:33pm
1.) Don't guilt them for having depression. It's not something they are doing on purpose. 2) See number 1. It's really important. 3.) Be patient. Don't expect them to get better instantly. 4.) Understand depression. Read as much about it as you can from reliable sources. Understanding how depression works and what it does to someone's perception will help you to better empathize with them. It'll help you to understand what they're going through. 5.) Encourage them to seek professional help. Depression is very treatable. 6.) See number 2. 7.) Make sure you take care of yourself. Caring for a depressed person can sometimes cause depression itself, so make sure your house is clean before you clean theirs. 8.) Don't tell them to cheer up. It's annoying when someone orders you to do something you don't know how to do. 9.) Did I mention not to guilt someone for having depression? I feel like I did. Don't do it.
Listen. Listen. Stay centered and clear. Ask about prior negative futurizing. Ask questions. Gently but repeatedly suggest an activity that will help shift the pattern in the brain. Repeat.
Firstly, I can lend an empathetic ear to someone with depression, whether online or in everyday life. Secondly, I can extend resources and if I am close to the person, a big hug.
There are many ways you can help someone struggling with depression! One is just being there for them, show them they are not alone :D Dont minimize their pain also.
Anonymous
September 16th, 2015 3:08pm
U need to tell them not to lose hope and have faith in them. They need to maintain their confidence.
Realize treatment is key, Get active in their care, Talk about it, Stay in contact, Focus on small goals, Encourage doctor visits, Pay attention,
Support and let them know you are there for them. Be a good listener, and refrain from opinions and judgements.
Anonymous
September 17th, 2015 9:02pm
7 Cups is a good example, but hardly the best you can do. Best would be get a psychologist's education and land a lucrative job.
Listen to them first. Find out if they are seeing anyone for this. Make sure they are not suicidal. Find out whats on their mind
i will gain their trust . check in and be friendly every time i get to talk to them.. love is something a random act of kindness at a very random time .. so my view is that even if i play the smallest part in a person's life... it should be the vital part
The first thing I would suggest is definitely give them support no matter what the situation is. If they want to talk when things get rough then support them. If they want to talk at 2am in the morning because they feel like things are getting too much then support them. Usually when someone is depressed they want to find someone, or something, to help them with the deepness they feel. Also, make them involved with an activity to make them feel important. Always make sure they are taken care of with whatever they need. That will definitely help.
Anonymous
September 21st, 2015 4:56pm
Don't ask questions that have obvious answers such as "Are you feeling ok"? If someone is clearly not feeling fine, this is the last thing they want to hear. Be there for them during the hard times. It is ok to despair once in a while, just be there when you come. We are only human, we can only do what we can do. Be sure not to emotionally drain yourself. Give yourself time out when needed. This is ok. Knowing you are LOVED just those words are infinitely special when you are depressed even though quite often they will not appreciate it at the time but it is true they will look back on it and know you WERE their friend because you WERE THERE for them. In times of trouble that's what means the most.
Even if you aren't sure what to say to them, just being a shoulder to cry on or a person they can vent to helps a lot. There some other great ideas here http://www.7cups.com/depression-help-online/ for you from the 7 Cups team:)
Anonymous
September 26th, 2015 2:21am
Support them.Telling them it's going to okay.Talk to them abiut their daily life.Ask them what makes them happy and tell them to do things that make them happy.And if it pretty serious advice them to visit a psychologist.
Sometimes, you just can't help people the way you think you can. Just being with them, and supporting them will help massively. You have to listen to them, relate to them. I've suffered from depression, and sometimes, you just need someone to listen and be there for you.
You must try and understand people with depression by asking them questions, and try not to push them away by using harsh words. Taking care of a depression will take a lot of patience. Having friends around people will also be a helpful thing since most depress people mostly want to isolate themselves, so having not only one companion can be helpful and that way his or her friends can monitor what she's doing for safety.
Try getting them to know that you've felt what they are feeling. Relatability is always good for helping others.
Empathise - not sympathise! Don't let them feel like they are alone, and don't assume that you understand exactly what they are feeling. Respect them for who they are, and simply provide a listening ear, be a platform for them to vent out their thoughts & what-nots :)
You can help people with depression right here, by becoming an active listener! :) You can also help people by writing about your own personal experiences, or talking about it. You never know who is going to be reading/listening that could benefit from what you say. Also, you could start a blog for people with depression, or just be encouraging to people online. Those are just some really simple ways, but there are definitely a lot more you could probably think of! Not everything has to be big...you could help someone with depression just by smiling at them or saying hello :)
Anonymous
October 24th, 2015 7:09pm
I can let them talk with me. I can let them vet to me. I also can try to calm them down and tell them that they are loved.
Anonymous
October 25th, 2015 2:57am
Try to relate to them and ask them what's going on. Offering advice could also help but don't get off topic.
Help them by talking about depression in their life, share experiences, if you have any, refer them to the depression self help guide.
Anonymous
October 25th, 2015 12:52pm
By listening and helping to feel they're not alone, giving them a chance, a safe place to talk things through.
Plainly, offer support. Tell them you understand, or that you don't, but you're willing to listen and care because they matter to you.
You can be empathetic with them, you can try to listen to them, ask them questions that we lead them to find a solution by themselves, it also helps them figure out the reason behind this depression, because there is some people that go into depression without knowing why, so you help them figure it out. Try to give them some advises if they want to, like "why don't you try to make new friends" or "I have read a really nice book why don't you try to read it?" .. etc
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