If your friend is dealing with depression, here are five ways to help.
Mental health and depression have taken the forefront of social conversations lately.
People are willing to speak more on the issue and even singer Reekado Banks admitted to being depressed not too long ago. More people are coming out to speak about their battle with depression.
There are people who post updates on their battle with depression and no one bothers to reach out to them. This is most likely because of two reasons; even though more people are talking about it, depression is still regarded as a white man's illness.
Also, friends don't know how to deal with friends who have depression because it is pretty much new. On Monday, October 17, 2017, Instablog 9ja shared the Facebook post of a woman who said none of her friends reached out to her when she was depressed.
"For a long period of years I have been battling depression, I had one of my very psychological episodes 3 days back. I was so messed up that I posted on my WhatsApp status "help" "depression has kicked in again" what did people do? They just viewed the post and nobody even bothered to chat me up, call and find out what was going on with me" wrote Godwin Praise Peggy.
"...Pray for me now that I'm alive, call me now I'm alive, tell me you love me now I'm alive so I don't feel alone. Don't fucking write episodes for me when I'm gone. To hell with fake friends, To hell with fake love" she further wrote.
So what do you do when your friend is depressed? Here are a few tips below to help you handle this situation.
1) Have a listening ear
Listen to your friend who tells you he/she is depressed. Always be there to listen about what is making them feel down. It goes a long way when a depressed person has someone to talk to about how they feel.
2) Be serious with their feelings
It is easy to brush off the feelings of a depressed friend as mere boredom. They are not. What they are feeling is real and you have to take it seriously. Do not trivialize depression.
3) Be knowledgeable
If you have a depressed friend it is best you do research on depression. This would help you to understand what your friend is going through.
4) Advise them to get help
Dealing with depression requires professional help. You can't give your friend the necessary help to deal with depression but you can show him or her places where professional help is available.
5) Responsive
Always be there when there is an emergency especially moments when your friend tries to take his or her life.
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