Depression: helping a loved one cope

Sambhavi has not slept in many days. She is worried sick about her daughter. This lovely young teenager has gradually become sad, cries all the time, has lost her energy levels and wants to sleep all the time. She hardly eats or sometimes binges on food. This has been going on for more than a month now. What is most terrifying is that she keeps saying that life is not worth living. 

Sabitha’s husband has always been a quiet person. But of late, he has become very restless, has to be forced to go to work and does not seem to be able to make the simplest decisions. He constantly expresses feelings of hopelessness and says he is worthless.

Sambhavi and Sabitha have loved ones who suffer from depression. They not only have to help them, they also have to learn to help themselves live with a depressed person.

Does your loved one have depression?

Everybody has periods of depression due to a sad or stressful event. This reactive depression is short lived and people will come out of it within a few days or weeks. Clinical depression, however, is due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. The person affected has constant feelings of sadness, irritability, or tension.  Depressed people may show decreased interest or pleasure in usual activities. They suffer from a total lack of energy and feel exhausted and sleepy all the time. They may lose or gain significant amounts of weight. They may find it difficult to carry on the simple process of life.

Helping the depressed person

Depression can take everybody by surprise. It not only affects the persons suffering from it but colours the life of everybody associated with them. It has a major impact on the immediate family. Though there are times when the task seems impossible, the family has to learn to cope with the depression of the affected person.

Indian society has always placed such a negative connotation on mental disease that people tend to postpone seeking help. They hope and pray that it is only a temporary condition. Remember, that postponing medical intervention will only aggravate the condition and delay the recovery of your loved one.