Depression is a relatively common mental health disorder that affects millions of Americans. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, women have an increased risk for depression, which may be due to certain risk factors, such as genetics, hormones and environmental and social factors. If your wife is suffering from depression, realize that she is not choosing to feel this way. Depression is not something that people can control or turn on and off like a switch, so understand that there are brain chemicals involved in her depression that she can't control on her own.
Step 1
Arrange a consultation for your wife with a doctor or mental health professional. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, getting help for someone who is depressed is the first and most important thing you should do. Appropriate medical treatment may help to alleviate your wife's symptoms and help her to feel better.
Step 2
Help your wife with household chores. Divide tasks evenly or offer to temporarily take over her duties, which may involve tasks such as cooking, child care and house cleaning. According to Help Guide, women often develop depression due to role strain, which is caused by difficulties experienced while trying to maintain a balance between her roles as wife, mother and career woman. Assisting her with household tasks can lessen her stress load and make her feel supported.
Step 3
Start a daily exercise routine together, such as going for a walk after dinner if the weather permits. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with depression need diversions and distractions from their depressed feelings. If your wife declines your invitations, don't press her too hard, but invite her again at a later date.
Step 4
Get support for yourself from family and friends. Join a support group for family members of depressed people, which are often offered by hospitals and local community mental health centers. If you don't want to join a support group and you don't feel comfortable talking to your friends or family about your wife's depression, seek professional counseling on an individual basis.
Step 5
Encourage your wife to stick with treatment. When she starts to feel better, she may decide to discontinue medication or treatment. However, this can cause a relapse of her symptoms. Be patient and understanding, but let her know that her depression may return or worsen if she stops treatment.
