Full Answer
How can I Help my depressed family member find a therapist?
Help them shop for a therapist. Most importantly, encourage your depressed family member to seek out a therapist, offering to help them find one that meets their needs. You may have gotten a recommendation from someone, or have an insurance plan that requires you to look at specific therapists.
Do families of patients with depression need family therapy?
Not all families of patients with depression need family therapy, but all can benefit from the opportunity of meeting together with a mental health professional (Table 2). At the minimum, useful information can be exchanged, potential difficulties identified, and plans can be made for addressing agreed-upon problems.
What happens when a family member is diagnosed with depression?
When a family member is diagnosed with depression the whole family is affected. Additional family and marital stresses imposed on the patient with depression can add to the severity of depression and affect long-term remission rates.
Should you rescue a depressed family member?
If you try to rescue your family member, they will not learn for themselves how to manage feelings of sadness on their own. It is unlikely that you will be able to make the depression go away, and the fact that you are sticking your finger into their lives can trigger depressed relatives to feel frustrated with you. [4]
Is there anything you can do for someone with depression?
Find your own time for hobbies, physical activity, friends and spiritual renewal. Finally, be patient. Depression symptoms do improve with treatment, but it can take time. Finding the best treatment may require trying more than one type of medication or treatment approach.
Where would people go for help during the depression?
Organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offer support groups, education, and other resources to help address depression and other mental health conditions. If you're experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
Who am I supposed to talk to about depression?
Diagnosing Depression: What Health Care Professionals Look For. To understand your symptoms and get a formal diagnosis, it's a good idea to talk to both your primary care doctor and a licensed mental health professional.
When should a person seek treatment for depression?
Here's a good rule of thumb: If your depressed mood lasts for more than two weeks, or is seriously interfering with your ability to function at work, with your family, and in your social life, or is causing you to contemplate or plan to commit suicide, it would be a very good idea for you to consult with a mental ...
How do you help someone who doesn't want to be helped?
What to do when they don't want helpListen and validate. If your relationship is iffy, it doesn't hurt to just listen. ... Ask questions. Ask your loved one what they want! ... Resist the urge to fix or give advice. ... Explore options together. ... Take care of yourself and find your own support.
How do you get a psychological help for someone who doesn't want it?
Reach out to your own support system. Talk to another friend or family member. Text START to 741-741 or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor. These counselors can support you and offer advice on how to help your friend.
Where can I talk to someone for free?
See below for additional crisis services and hotlines.National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 1-800-273-8255. Chat with Lifeline. Show contact information. ... Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio. 1-888-628-9454. Show contact information. ... Veterans Crisis Line. 1-800-273-8255. Text 838255.
What will a GP do about depression?
The GP may make a diagnosis and can suggest some treatment options to help you, such as prescribing medication, making a referral to a talking therapy service, referring you to a specialist mental health team or providing advice on maintaining your overall wellbeing.
What do you do if you have nobody to talk to?
How to cope when you have no one to talk to?The first thing you need to do is - Don't compare. ... Join a class that you enjoy or attend meetups where you may find people with similar interests. ... Work on strengthening existing relationships in your life. ... Learn to love spending time with yourself.More items...•
What are the top 5 symptoms of depression?
5 Most common signs of depressionPersistent depressed (low) mood. It's natural to feel down from time to time. ... Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed. Sometimes we lose interest in things we used to love. ... Feelings of worthlessness. ... Poor concentration. ... Thoughts of harming yourself.
What are the 5 characteristics of depression?
Despite a huge range of symptoms here are five of the most common characteristics that the majority of people with depression experience:Low mood/low interest in activities enjoyed previously: ... Trouble concentrating: ... Changes in appetite or sleep: ... Feeling hopeless/worthless: ... Thoughts of suicide:
How do u beat depression?
There is comfort in knowing that there are many options for treating depression. These can include psychotherapy (talk therapy), antidepressant medication, and natural approaches, such as eating a nutritious diet, getting regular exercise, and following good sleep habits.
Learn The Symptoms of Depression
Depression signs and symptoms vary from person to person. They can include: 1. Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness 2. Angry...
Identify Warning Signs of Worsening Depression
Everyone experiences depression differently. Observe your loved one. Learn how depression affects your family member or friend — and learn what to...
Stay Alert For Warning Signs of Suicide
Learn and stay alert for common warning signs of suicide or suicidal thoughts: 1. Talking about suicide — for example, making statements such as "I...
How does depression affect family dynamics?
When a family member suffers from depression, they’re not the only one who suffers. Often the negativity and erratic behavior that comes with depression affects family dynamics. The sadness and irritability has everyone acting cautiously. It’s like a dark cloud has descended over the home, and it’s almost impossible not to notice ...
What to not do when someone is depressed?
Remember, depression is a disease and should be approached, both personally and professionally, like any other illness. Don’t pressure the person to socialize or participate in activities.
Why is it important to recognize depression?
So it’s important you recognize when it’s becoming too much for you, when you need a break and when to enlist help.
How to deal with a person who is not motivated?
Take a break. If you feel yourself getting frustrated with the person’s lack of motivation, or worked up in the heat of a negative outburst, take a time out. Go into another room and take some deep breaths. Then return when you feel you can respond to your loved one from a calmer place. Get out and do something fun.
How to help someone who is dying and not wanting to live?
It’s important to take seriously any comments about death or not wanting to live and never leave your loved one alone if you get the feeling she may do harm to herself. Call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline t 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to talk to a trained counselor for help.
Is mental illness a genetic condition?
Much like diabetes or cancer, it’s a condition that’s no one’s fault—not yours or your family member’s. Mental illness is often a result of genetics combined with environmental factors, and most often requires professional treatment.
Who is Susan Fishman?
Susan Fishman, NCC, CRC is a veteran freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience in health education, and a knack for turning complex medical jargon into something the average reader can understand. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post and HuffPost, and on numerous other national health, wellness and parenting sites. She is also a National Certified Counselor and Clinical Rehabilitation Counselor, adding mental health and wellness to her area of expertise.
Recognizing Depression in a Friend or a Family Member
The following are a few points to remember when you are dealing with a depressed friend or a family member.
How Can I Encourage a Depressed Friend or a Family Member to Get Help?
You can begin encouraging the depressed friend or a family member for seeking help even when you cannot control the recovery process. It can be difficult to get the person into treatment. Depression can take away all the energy as well as motivation, so finding a physician can seem daunting. There are negative thoughts associated with depression.
Helping Your Friend or a Family Member in Depression Treatment
Your unconditional love and support can be the most important thing that you can give to the friend or family member who is depressed. This also involves being patient as well as compassionate which does not seem easy when one is dealing with moodiness, negativity and hostility. All these instances often go hand in hand when it comes to depression.
How to help a depressed family member?
2. Talk about it as a family. A family member’s depression affects the whole family, not just the person dealing with it. Sitting down as a family to discuss it can help your depressed family member express themselves and feel supported. This also helps you discover what works and does not work.
How to help a family member with depression?
Go to a family therapist. It may help to seek out couples or family counseling to help everyone share their feelings about the family member’s depression alongside individual therapy for the depressed family member. This therapy can help restore relationships that have been disjointed by depression, especially marriages.
How to tell if someone is depressed?
1. Notice if your family member has sad feelings. Sad feelings are the hallmark of depression, especially feeling sad when there is no cause for it. This feeling of sadness can weigh on your family member’s soul, and watching for signs of this extra sadness is key for identifying depression.
Why do people with depression not feel happy?
People with depression are sad about life and discouraged about things that used to make them happy, so they are not happy. Being unhappy can make you generally irritable, getting upset about small things on a regular basis. If someone in your family can’t seem to ever be happy, they may be depressed.
How to help a depressed loved one?
7. Have a positive attitude. Develop realistic expectations for your depressed loved one and maintain an attitude full of hope for them . Your loved one can get help for depression, and they can change. There is hope, and if you keep this in the forefront of your mind, you can help them have hope as well.
Is it your fault if you have depression?
Recognize that their illness is not your fault. If you have figured out that one of your family members is struggling with depression, it can be seem like you had something to do with it. But it’s not your fault. Depression makes it hard to for people to connect emotionally with their loved ones.
Can depression cause insomnia?
People with depression tend to go to one extreme or the other when it comes to sleep. They either can’t sleep at all or sleep way too much. The inability to sleep is called insomnia, and if someone in your family starts complaining about insomnia, watch for other signs of depression. [8]
What happens when a family member is diagnosed with depression?
When a family member is diagnosed with depression the whole family is affected. Additional family and marital stresses imposed on the patient with depression can add to the severity of depression and affect long-term remission rates. In order to ensure the best possible success in treatment, the therapist should integrate the family into ...
What is family therapy?
Family therapy may be particularly helpful when family distress is present as a component of the depression. Wives who are depressed and are in maritally distressed relationships were randomly assigned to behavioral marital therapy (BMT), cognitive therapy (CT) or a wait-list control condition.
What is the best treatment for depression?
The current most commonly used model for the understanding and treatment of depression is a biomedical one that emphasizes symptom resolution. The mainstay of contemporary psychiatric treatment is pharmacotherapy, and of contemporary psychological treatment, cognitive-behavioral therapy. Both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy can be effective ...
Why is psychotherapy important?
Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy may be helpful in dealing with genetic vulnerability, early life experiences and current life stresses, while family intervention can reinforce the family's competence in responding to the illness (Keitner and Miller, 1990).
What is family assessment?
A number of self-reported and interview-based family assessment instruments have been developed and described. Many of these family assessment tools were designed for research purposes. They are standardized and provide numerical summaries of various aspects of family functioning that can then be more systematically analyzed. Some may be adapted for clinical use.
What is the most difficult task for a family?
One of the most difficult tasks that a family has is to find a balance between not pushing the member with depression beyond their capability versus passively accepting the negative outlook and self-doubt of the family member who is depressed.
What are the factors that contribute to depression?
A patient's vulnerability to depression may include genetic predisposition, early life experiences, personality variables, current life events and/or persistent family conflicts. Regardless of the etiology of the episode, the patient's family and/or significant others have to respond to and deal with the depression.
How to help a parent with depression?
There are several practical steps a spouse, sibling, friend, or parent can take to help a loved one who is experiencing major depression: 1 Make sure the person is taking his medication; offer to drive him to doctors’ or therapist appointments or to fill prescriptions. In Kristen's case, her parents were a conduit for information, talking to various doctors and therapists when she couldn’t. 2 Provide feedback. Someone with major depression is probably in therapy or on medication (or both). By keeping an eye out for certain behaviors, you’ll help the person report back to his doctor. This is particularly helpful if the loved one has anxiety or isn’t sure if medication is working. 3 Provide financial help. Therapy and medications are expensive and may not be covered by insurance. 4 Be there, even if you’re not talking. When someone is feeling anxious or sad, knowing he or she is not alone is an immense help. 5 Educate yourself. There are many web sites, books, and articles that discuss depression.
Is therapy covered by insurance?
Therapy and medications are expensive and may not be covered by insurance. Be there, even if you’re not talking. When someone is feeling anxious or sad, knowing he or she is not alone is an immense help. Educate yourself. There are many web sites, books, and articles that discuss depression.
Does alcohol help with depression?
Although it’s obvious that alcohol won’t help your depression and is, in fact, a depressant, “tough love rarely works with depression and can be damaging,” he says. Still, it’s good to give a friend or loved one a sense of hope about the illness. “Tell them you are taking steps to get better,” he says.
Can you sugarcoat depression?
You may not want or be able to go into a lengthy discussion with them about what major depression is, but Davis recommends that you don’t sugarcoat it either.
How does depression affect parents?
Parental depression negatively affects the health and well-being of parents and their children. Head Start and Early Start Staff can use this resource to recognize depression, help families obtain treatment, foster resilience, and support parents as they receive treatment.
Is depression a mental illness?
It causes people to withdraw from social contacts, from their children and families, and even from the help that could save them from years of suffering. Many people do not know how to recognize or talk about depression. However, it is one of the most common mental illnesses caregivers and parents experience .
Can depression affect a mother's ability to be responsive to a new baby?
Maternal depression can interfere with a mother's ability to be responsive to her new baby. It can also make parenting toddlers and preschoolers more difficult. Explore these five action steps and resources to find ways to help families reduce the impact of depression in their lives.
How to help someone with depression?
Help your loved one remember to eat, sleep, or dress for the day. Offer to assist them with basic hygiene tasks or to run errands for them. Be gentle, but persistent, in encouraging them to seek medical help. Remind them that depression is a legitimate illness that’s serious but treatable.
What does it mean when someone is depressed?
Some people with depression may become aggressive, irritable, and even abusive. Others may simply become lethargic, anxious, or restless. Depression may also cause people to become more withdrawn or to become less interested in activities they once enjoyed. They may even express feeling of guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness.
How long does it take for depression to go away?
Experts recommend consulting a medical or mental health professional when any signs of depression last longer than a few weeks. It’s normal to feel sad or depressed in the wake of a stressful or tragic life event, such as a divorce or loss of a loved one. However, these feelings are normally short lived.
How to deal with a loved one who is not receptive to suggestions?
Don’t become angry or react negatively if your loved one isn’t receptive to your suggestions and concerns. It’s best to stay calm and to continue speaking in a reassuring tone , regardless of how your loved one is acting. Take all talk or threats of suicide seriously.
What are the signs of depression?
Other signs of depression may include: notable changes in appetite, accompanied by sudden weight gain or weight loss. trouble concentrating.
Is depression a sign of a serious problem?
Before someone seeks medical help and receives a definitive diagnosis, their symptoms may masquerade as other issues, ranging from a poor attitude or alcohol abuse to a sleep disorder or an eating disorder. Behavior that may seem strange can actually be a sign of a more serious problem.
