Depression is a mood disorder that causes a person to feel intense and unexplainable sadness, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of helplessness, fatigue, inability to find pleasure in things, and suicidal thoughts for significant periods of time. According to HelpGuide.org, depression regularly affects millions of people and the people who are hurt by this mental health illness include the people involved in the life of the person as well as the person actually experiencing the depression. Depression changes lives.
Step 1
Overcome your resentment for his changes in personality and his inability to attend to his own needs. Dealing with the rejection and isolating behaviors that occur when a person you care about becomes depressed can be hard to handle. Understand that he is acting differently due to his mental health condition rather than because of something that happened in the relationship.
Step 2
Look into the future for the depression to subside. Watching someone you care about deal with depression can be painful and trying on a relationship. Keep yourself motivated to stay in the relationship by keeping in mind that depression episodes end with proper interventions.
Step 3
Maintain a positive attitude when you are talking with or in the presence of the person who is depressed. Do not let yourself get pulled into talking about negative outcomes or negative feelings with the depressed person. Depression tends to control the thought process of the person it afflicts and maintains her negative thoughts. At the same time, avoid being overly positive or upbeat with the person; this might frustrate or irritate her.
Step 4
Provide your constant support. Spend time with the person. Make him aware that you care about him and will always be there to help him overcome the depression.
Step 5
Take over small routine tasks that she is no longer motivated to complete such as paying bills, cooking meals or doing yard work. Avoid doing everything. Leave a number of simple tasks for her to complete; these small achievements will help to improve her feelings about herself.
Step 6
Acknowledge small achievements. Many times, a person with depression will overlook the positives and it will be up to others to bring them to her attention. Point out to her when she says something positive. Thank her when she interacts with you. Tell her when she shows improvements in her behaviors.
Step 7
Invite him to hang out with you outside of his house. Isolation is one of the things that helps to maintain depression, and socialization is a way to break free from the effects of isolation. Keep asking him to do things with you, such as going to the movies or going out to dinner, even if he refuses. Avoid being too pushy, but always ask more than once.
Step 8
Check on her treatment. According to NIMH, depression is a disorder that experiences high rates of treatment success and the sooner it is begun the better the outcomes. Encourage her to take her medication, if one is prescribed. Discuss how she feels about her psychotherapy. Persuade her to discuss her concerns or questions with her therapist. Make sure she attends every therapy session and contacts her therapist if she is having a significantly bad day.
