5 Tips to Help You Know What to Say to Someone Suffering from Depression

Depression is a severe mood disorder that can significantly disturb your day-to-day life. It can negatively affect how you act, process things, and feel.

Sadly, a lot of people fail to diagnose it that further aggravates the issue. It’s scary.

Isn’t it? Well, depression isn’t something that you should take for granted. The symptoms of depression are different for both males and females.

Following are a few symptoms of depression that you may experience:

• Persistent feeling of emptiness and sadness
• Hopelessness or pessimism
• Restlessness, agitation, or anxiety
• Body aches that won’t go away
• Loss of interest in everyday life activities
• Trouble concentrating
• Angry outbursts or weeping spells
• Lethargy and sleep disturbances
• Loss of appetite or binge eating
• Recurrent or frequent suitable thoughts

Furthermore, the symptoms need to continue for at least two weeks or more in order to diagnose clinically significant depression. If you or any of your loved ones are going through the same, this article is going to be very beneficial for you.

I am going to sleep about all the do’s and don’ts of depression today. Here are a few things that you can say to someone suffering from depression, remember that the purpose behind it is to make them feel better.

• You’re not alone: That’s right, guys! First and foremost, you must never leave a depressed person alone. Tell them that you understand how they’re not in a good place right now. Let them know that they’re not alone in this, and they can always reach out for help.
• I know it’s hard: People going through depression often feel like they’re going through the worst phase of their life. You may not be able to fully understand the situation, but you must second the statement that living with depression is hard. It’s wise to validate someone’s feelings sometimes.
• How can I help you?: The statement is pretty common, but it can make a huge difference. Not everyone is comfortable asking for help, a lot of people suffer in shadows. What you can do is politely approach the depressed person and ask if they need anything or if you can do anything to help.
• I’m right here if you want to talk about it: Do you know half of your stress and anxiety are released when you share your feelings with someone? Yes, it’s true. Therefore, I always recommend talking to people. When talking to depressed people, you must tell them that you’re there for them if they feel like talking. Be the listening ear!
• You’re important to me!: Last but not least, show them that they’re important. Oftentimes, a depressed person questions himself about self-worth. It’s sad to see someone melting from the inside. Telling depressed people how important they are and how much they’re valued can make a positive difference.

At one point, you may feel like nothing you say or do can help, but trust me, every effort counts when it comes to depression. The recovery always takes time, all you need to do is stay patient and be consistent.

A depressed person needs nothing, but love and attention. Is it too hard to love someone? Value someone for who they are? Or at least listen to how they feel? Please know that all these little acts of kindness can create an endless ripple.

A Few Natural Remedies to Treat Depression

People with depression are usually prescribed lots and lots of antidepressants. Yes, antidepressants can help, but we cannot neglect the fact that they come with several side effects.

Here I’m going to list down a few natural remedies that can help treat depression. The best part being, they bring along minimal side effects, so they’re relatively safe as compared to pharmaceutical drugs.

• Medical marijuana: As mentioned in a study, medical marijuana can successfully help combat stress and anxiety. Hence, marijuana strains like purple space cookies, Afghan kush, blue dream, and more can be very effective.
• Exercise: Regular exercise can decrease the amount of cortisol (a stress hormone) in the body while decreasing depression, which is the ultimate goal. It is also verified by various studies.
• Maintaining a journal: Writing how you feel is an incredible way to relieve stress and anxiety. Whenever you feel sad or hopeless, simply grab a paper and write everything you feel at the very moment.
• Body Massage: Body massage is recommended by most physicians when treating depression. The gentle strokes of massage can help release oxytocin in the body, which uplifts your mood and eliminates stress.
• Meditation: According to research, mindfulness meditation can be very helpful in the treatment of depression. All you need to do is find a calm spot and focus on yourself as well as your surroundings. It will take you into a state of tranquility.
• Sharing Emotions: Emotional burden is often the reason behind depression. As mentioned above, talking about what’s bothering you can significantly lower the stress and make you instantly feel better. Thereby, it’s effective to share emotions with a loved one.
• Embrace Nature: Nature brings along various healing powers. If you feel low or if any of your loved ones is suffering from depression, try to spend some time in nature. Focus on your surroundings and be mindful of your thoughts and emotions.

The Takeaway

Winding it up, I want you to know that depression isn’t something unusual. It affects millions of people every year and thankfully, most of them recover in a few weeks. All you need to do is make an effort to snap out of the sadness and take it as a temporary state.

It isn’t something that’s going to be with you forever. Once you make peace with it, you’ll be able to defeat it effortlessly. I wish you all the best, my friends!