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Is Your Family Member Depressed?
By admin | November 12, 2007
Depressed people experience horrible feelings, which may lead to suicide or even murder and suicide. Although depressed, people often don’t seek treatment and spend their life in misery and sadness.
Depression doesn’t only affect the depressed person, but it affects his/her family and friends.
People who are depressed need constant support from their family and friends. They need help with everyday feelings, with their medications… But, mostly, they don’t get the much needed support. They get rejection, avoiding and taunt. In order to avoid that, depressed people try to hide their true feelings from others and pretend that everything is normal. If your family member is depressed, you need to take caution.
This behaviour only makes things worse. Depression, if not treated properly, can lead to suicide or murder and suicide. We see lot of newspaper titles saying that depressed mom killed her three children, or depressed dad killed a child, his wife and himself. All of these cases could have been treated and those tragedies might have never happened.
WHEN BRAIN “HURTS”
People who understand their condition can seek treatment. But, many of them don’t. They think that depression, anxiety and other psychological problems are the result of their “abnormality”. They feel ashamed. But, this opinion is far worse than wrong.
Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder are biological conditions, not “abnormality”. Millions and millions of people suffer from it and there is a cure.
Depression can be chronic or can occur once after a stressful event. What most people don’t know, is that depression can be treated with right nutrition, too. Eating healthy foods like veggies, fruits and grains can help them prevent or treat depression.
Also, doing things you like, you enjoy, spending more time outdoors or even watching comedies can help with depression.
WHEN FAMILY DOESN’T WANT TO KNOW…
Having depressed member of your family can be very hard. But, there are two choices every family member can do:
1. Understand the one in depression, give him/her support and help seek treatment
2. Pretend like nothing is happening and leave things like they are
1. Being a family is all about trust, understanding, love and support. If you notice that a member of your family is sad, has no energy, sleeps too much or not at all, or has no will to live, you need to do something. Communication is the best tool – just try to be understanding and show your love.
Sometimes people who suffer from depression don’t want to admit their problems and feelings. This is where you enter. Talk to him/her, explain that you’re worried and make them talk. This way, you will earn their trust and have better chance of improving your family member’s mental health.
2. Although we are in 21st century, there are still people who believe that people who go to psychiatrists are “crazy, lunatics” and they should be ashamed because they embarrass the whole family. Remember, there is nothing more important than health of your child/spouse/ parent and ancient stories like that are ridiculous.
People talk, that is a fact. But, who cares about someone else’s opinion if your family member is depressed and in danger?
WRONG OPINION
Here are some things you should never say or think:
1. Depression is patient’s imagination – it doesn’t exist.
2. Tell your family member that positively thinking can make him feel better and treat depression.
3. Tell your family member that there are worse things and he/she should be ashamed.
4. Psychiatrists are people who treat crazy ones and that money should be spent wisely, not thrown away like it’s given.
5. People don’t want to have anything to do with depressed people.
Topics: Health, Men's Health, Mental Health, Women's Health | No Comments »
