How Do I Know When To Seek Help
If youre recovering from heart surgery, a heart attack, or another heart condition, temporary feelings of sadness and a depressed mood are common for the first few weeks.
However, treatment is necessary when depression is severe and accompanied by other symptoms .
Without treatment, depression can become worse. For heart patients, depression can contribute to an increased risk of heart attack and coronary disease. Talk to your health care provide who can diagnose and start depression treatment with safe antidepressants. Your health care provider also can refer you to a mental health specialist who can provide other appropriate treatment when necessary.
When depression is negatively affecting your life such as causing increased difficulties with relationships or performance at work or at home, it is important for you to get help to prevent things from getting worse.
More specific reasons to seek help include:
Other Ways To Help Someone With Bipolar Disorder
You can also support your loved one by:
Learning about bipolar disorder. Learn everything you can about the symptoms and treatment options. The more you know about bipolar disorder, the better equipped youll be to help your loved one and keep things in perspective.
Encouraging the person to get help. The sooner bipolar disorder is treated, the better the prognosis, so urge your loved one to seek professional help right away. Dont wait to see if they will get better without treatment.
Being understanding. Let your friend or family member know that youre there if they need a sympathetic ear, encouragement, or assistance with treatment. People with bipolar disorder are often reluctant to seek help because they dont want to feel like a burden to others, so remind the person that you care and that youll do whatever you can to help.
Showing patience. Getting better takes time, even when a person is committed to treatment. Dont expect a quick recovery or a permanent cure. Be patient with the pace of recovery and prepare for setbacks and challenges. Managing bipolar disorder is a lifelong process.
The importance of support in bipolar disorder recovery
People with bipolar disorder do better when they have support from family members and friends. They tend to recover more quickly, experience fewer manic and depressive episodes, and have milder symptoms.
Effects Of Stress On Depression
While stress can generally have negative effects on your physical and mental health, it can be especially harmful if you have depression.
Stress can make you feel less able to maintain positive habits or coping strategies, which are important to managing depression. This can make symptoms of depression feel more intense. Interrupting a healthy routine can result in negative coping strategies, such as drinking or withdrawing from social relationships. These actions can result in further stress, which can then make depression symptoms worse.
Stress can also affect your mood, as anxiety and irritability are both common responses to stress. When a stressor causes you to feel anxious, the anxiety may result in more negative feelings or frustration, even if the stressor is only temporary.
Stress management techniques are useful in coping with depression. Stress relief can also help prevent depressive symptoms from developing. Some helpful stress management techniques include:
- getting enough sleep
- consuming less caffeine or alcohol
- doing breathing exercises to lower your heart rate
If lifestyle choices are causing you stress, you may consider changing the way you approach your personal or professional life. Some ways you can help decrease this kind of stress include:
Also Check: How To Fight Anxiety And Stress
Ways To Help Yourself Through Depression
If you are going through depression, it’s best to get help from a therapist. To get the most from your therapy, you can do things to help yourself, too.
Here are five things you can do to feel better. They may seem simple, but they can help a lot.
What Help And Resources Are Available For People Who Need Support Or Further Advice
GP or Psychiatrist
The most important help out there is to talk to a doctor or mental health professional as this is the first step in identifying Bipolar Disorder. During this process, people may have a physical evaluation to rule out any other conditions which might be causing their symptoms. If no other illness is present, doctors conduct a comprehensive mental health evaluation.
For more advice:
- Bipolar UK
Support Groups:
It is important to know you are not alone. Having a support group sharing helpful ideas may help. Here are some of the support groups that people may consider:
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Signs That Someone May Be Depressed
Depression has lots of possible symptoms.
You may notice that someone:
- has lost interest in doing things they normally enjoy
- seems to be feeling down or hopeless
- has slower speech and movements or is more fidgety and restless than usual
- feels tired or does not have much energy
- is overeating or has lost their appetite
- is sleeping more than usual or is not able to sleep
- has trouble concentrating on everyday things, such as watching TV or reading the paper
Help Them Identify And Cope With Sources Of Stress
Its no secret that stress is a significant contributor to depression. Chronic levels of stress pour cortisol into your bloodstream and cause inflammation in your nervous system and every other biological system. In a study of rats published in May 2017 in Scientific Reports, conducted by researchers at universities in Aarhus and Aalborg, Denmark, stress was shown to reduce the brains innate ability to keep itself healthy. The hippocampus, which regulates mood, shrinks, negatively impacting our short-term memory function and learning abilities.
Stress also interrupts healthy coping strategies, which makes a person more vulnerable to mood swings. Your job is to help your loved one identify sources of stress in his or her life and brainstorm about ways to reduce it. These dont have to be dramatic changes. Small tweaks to your day, like employing some deep breathing techniques, can go far in reversing the detrimental effects of stress.
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Ways To Help Someone Who Is Stressed
Stress has come about to become a universal ailment. You experience it at the workplace, in personal relationships, at home, at social gatherings, at school and college, and in the daily mad pursuit to prove yourself and achieve goals. We have learnt to live with stress, just as we have resigned ourselves to polluted air and poisoned rivers. Stress works in the same way.
Life is a race and everybody seems to be running it, often without a clear reason. This constant running and mindless chase can get overwhelming for some people, and could lead to depression and anxiety, which if left unattended to, may lead to disastrous consequences such as a complete breakdown.
Stress Anxiety And Depression Are Powerful Emotions Here Are Some Ways You Can Help To Cope Better With Your Feelings
Its normal to experience some stress and anxiety, and at some point in our lives many of us will become depressed. Each condition can have an impact on our ability to manage our feelings and emotions.
Recognising that youre having problems coping with stress, anxiety or depression is a positive sign that you can do something about it.
What to do
Your mood can change over time, so its worth keeping an eye on how youre feeling. You can Check your moodwith a free self-assessment tool provided by the NHS. Learn more
If you feel youre become stressed, anxious or depressed the NHS has developed some simple ways that you can help yourself to feel happier, developing skills and strategies to cope with your emotions. Learn more
If your stress, anxiety or depression is seriously affecting your daily life then its important that you speak to you GP. They can help you to identify the best ways to get help with your condition.
You can also self-refer to TALKWORKS.
We also have a number of Link Centres in North Devon that provide support for people experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties.
If you are in crisis call 0808 196 8708 or visit our ‘I need help now’ page or contact Samaritans on 116 123 or .
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Remind Them That They’re Incredibly Strong
When youre depressed, you dont believe that youre worthy of love, explains Dr. DePaulo in Understanding Depression: What We Know and What You Can Do About It. Thats what makes relationships and especially communication so difficult. One way of nudging them to recovery is by reminding them of their strengths. Use concrete examples. Cite times in their lives they exemplified courage, stamina, compassion, integrity, and perseverance. Use photos, if you have them, of accomplishments in the past or victories that will bolster their confidence and encourage them down the path of healing.
What To Say To Someone Whos Stressed About Family
Family troubles come in all shapes and sizes. They might have a disagreement with their partner or a complicated situation with their siblings. No matter the situation, diffuse their anxiety with some words of kindness.
9. Be gentle with yourself. Youre doing your best.
Family issues can quickly grow out of control, and sometimes we cant handle them on our own. Let your loved one know theyve done the best they could, and that they dont need to handle everything themselves.
10. Focus on your own progress, not perfection.
Family life isnt perfect. Even if things dont go according to plan, we can make the most of where we are in our journey by focusing on the smaller steps along the way.
11. You dont have to answer for other peoples mistakes.
When things go wrong, how do we avoid placing blame on ourselves? Let your loved one know that they dont have to be accountable for the choices of others.
12. Lets think of a plan for what to do next.
It helps to have an idea of how well move forward. A lot of our anxiety comes from not knowing whats happening. Thinking creatively about how to make a positive change is a great way to help.
» MORE:
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How To Help Someone With Depression And Anxiety
This article was co-authored by Liana Georgoulis, PsyD. Dr. Liana Georgoulis is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years of experience, and is now the Clinical Director at Coast Psychological Services in Los Angeles, California. She received her Doctor of Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2009. Her practice provides cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based therapies for adolescents, adults, and couples.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 26,190 times.
Depression and anxiety can greatly impact peoples lives and leave them feeling isolated and unable to cope with daily life. Its difficult to see someone you care about struggling with mental health problems and not know how to help. Some of the best help you can offer is by being present in this persons life and showing that you care.
Take Their Feelings Seriously
If someone is living with a mental health concern, it isnt possible for them just to snap out of it, cheer up or forget about it. Acknowledge that what’s happening must be difficult to handle don’t tell them that their feelings are weird or unfounded.
Try not to approach your friend like theyre a patient or someone who needs to be fixed…this might make them feel embarrassed and belittled, and can make them close themselves off to you. Anzelmo
If youre not sure how to help someone with depression or anxiety, ask them. You could also offer them some options and let them choose what suits them best. For example, you could offer to listen and let them express their thoughts, or just to hang out, without serious conversation.
Try to be caring, compassionate and curious, and let them know that they matter to you and you are taking them seriously.
Also Check: How Do You Overcome Stress
Talk About Your Feelings
We often dont talk about how we feel We are shy and embarrassed to admit that we get stressed and depressed fast or that we are unable to get out of our bed every day. Yet hiding your problem isnt going to help.
When youre stressed and depressed, it can be extremely helpful to talk about the way you feel to a trustworthy friend or someone close to you. Let it all vent out and allow yourself to be supported. Simply talking about your emotions and spilling them all out can be a real game-changer in battling that stressed and depressed feeling.
Be Patient And Try To Understand
Helping a friend who is anxious, stressed or depressed may involve some patience and understanding. As with any problem, it can take time to resolve and it is less about curing the issue than about understanding it, growing through the experience of it and gaining a healthy perspective on it.
You can help your friend in lots of different ways, but specifically:
- Provide space and support
- If your friend is anxious, explain the plan in advance
- Be consistent
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Minimizing Or Comparing Their Experience
If your friend talks about their depression, you might want to say things like, I understand, or Weve all been there. But if youve never dealt with depression yourself, this can minimize their feelings.
Depression goes beyond simply feeling sad or low. Sadness usually passes fairly quickly, while depression can linger and affect mood, relationships, work, school, and all other aspects of life for months or even years.
Comparing what theyre going through to someone elses troubles or saying things like, But things could be so much worse, generally doesnt help.
Your friends pain is whats real to them right now and validating that pain is what may help them most.
Say something like, I cant imagine how hard that is to deal with. I know I cant make you feel better, but just remember you arent alone.
Covid Depression And Anxiety
If you are experiencing depression and anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you are certainly not alone. Many are grieving loved ones who have died. Some coronavirus survivors have been left with debilitating health problems, and many others have lost jobs and businesses.
Even those who have not experienced severe loss have endured months of disrupted schedules, canceled milestone celebrations and daily logistical challenges. Little wonder so many are feeling lonely, frustrated and vulnerable, physically, emotionally and financially.
As the pandemic continues and hope for its end is in sight, there are ways to identify mental health issues and get the help you or a loved one needs. Here is some useful insight from neuropsychologist Tracy Vannorsdall, Ph.D., who talks about the impact of the coronavirus and the pandemic on anxiety and depression, what to look for and what kinds of therapy may be available to help you or someone you care about.
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Encouraging Words For Someone Who Is Stressed Out
It can be hard to know what to say when somebody is stressed out.
Even with the best intentions, we can sometimes make people feel even worse. This is especially true when we use words like its not that bad! or chin up, youll be fine.
We might use these words because we want to help, but the last thing stressed people want to hear is that their feelings are not valid.
Another mistake a lot of people make is trying to fix the problem.
You should just do or, Why didnt you are not what a stressed-out person needs or wants to hear. Most people just need to feel like someone is there to listen they dont need you to try and fix their problems.
Occasionally, giving advice might be appropriate. But its always best to ask permission first. You can do this by saying, would you like me to help you think of some solutions, or do you just need me to support you by listening?
Dont worry about getting it perfect right away. Communication takes a lifetime of practice! But if youre wondering what encouraging words you can safely say to a stressed-out person, here are some ideas!
Questions To Encourage Self
Self-education and self-care are both vital to successfully helping care for and foster a healthy relationship with a partner living with depression.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness reminds caregivers that you must first take care of yourself to be able to take care of the people you love. To do this successfully, here are a few questions to ask yourself in private:
- Are you getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night?
- Are you drinking or using drugs to cope with the stress?
- Are you exercising daily?
- Are you experiencing physical symptoms like headaches, insomnia, or digestive issues?
- Do you have people you can talk to who understand what youre going through?
- Where can you locate resources to help you?
Karen likens it to the oxygen mask that will drop from the ceiling of an airplane in the unlikely event of losing cabin pressure. Any parent would have the impulse to put it on their children first, but that usually results in the parent losing consciousness before they save the child. Both people suffer.
Put your oxygen mask on first, so you can best help your partner with this challenging situation.
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