How can I help a depressed friend?

One of the key parts of helping a depressed friend is to be sympathetic but not empathetic. Dr. Saltz says, “You want your friend to know that you understand that he feels bad without allowing the depression itself to pull you in.” When supporting a friend with depression, try not to take what they say or do personally.

Can depression make you unwilling to be friends?

But this is usually a symptom of the depression itself. In his 2017 Ted Talk, comedian, and storyteller Bill Bernat spoke about his own clinical depression and said, “Depression doesn’t diminish a person’s desire to connect with other people, just their ability.” 1 A person who is depressed may feel unworthy of friendship.

What happens when a friend with depression pulls away?

From there, the friend may think, “ If my support was helping, my friend wouldn’t still be depressed ” and this leads them to give up on the friendship completely. It may feel like the depressed friend is pulling away from the friendship. But this is usually a symptom of the depression itself.

Should you help someone who’s living with depression?

When you care about someone who’s living with depression, it’s tempting to drop everything to be by their side and support them. It’s not wrong to want to help a friend, but it’s also important to take care of your own needs. If you put all your energy into supporting your friend, you’ll have very little left for yourself.

Is China’s government doing enough to help with depression?

Liu Hong, the founder of China’s largest non-governmental organization focused on depression and anxiety, had saved Chen from the edge of death. Similar cases take place in China almost every day. However, the government has done far too little for those suffering from depression.

Who started the first anti-depression NGO in China?

In 2004, Yu Jinxiang, the first anti-depression NGO in China, was founded by Chen Wei, a severe depression patient in Shanghai. At that time, there were few sources available for patients. It would be a low cost but effective way if the patients themselves could help each other.

Why do friends pull away from people with depression?

The depth of the pain of a person with depression pain can be frightening for their friends. This fear may result in friends pulling away. But a supportive friendship can be a huge help to people who are suffering from depression. Although depression is not contagious, it can feel like it is.