What can I do to help someone suffering from depression?!
Question: What can I do to help someone suffering from depression.?
I try to be there for him as much as I can but there are times when I just can't put up with his mood swings or relate to the circumstances that triggered his depression. And when it comes to sex or affection, I am completely frustrated. There are times when he's not in the mood and then at other times he's in the mood. Sometimes he reaches climax and other times he doesn't. Imagine how that must make me feel when our sex life has been spectacular before he suffered from depression. The selfish side of me can't take much more of this but the caring and loving side of me wants to continue supporting him which is at a cost because when he gets down in the dumps then I get down in the dumps. I don't know what to do.. I know I am being selfish..Health Question & Answer
Answers:
Try to get him to see a psychiatrist or therapist, or at least talk to his family doctor about what's going on. They can suggest possible medications or therapy that will help him. A lot of guys think it's something to be embarrassed about, so you may have a hard time convincing him. Just try to remind him that there's no shame at all in asking for help.
Other than that, just try to be supportive of him and reassure him that you care about him. A lot of times people who genuinely try to help a depressed person will get frustrated and give up on that person if they don't get better quickly enough. I think that's probably a natural enough reaction. But when these people alienate the depressed person, that just worsens his depression. It can be a vicious cycle. So try to the best of your ability to be tolerant and understanding.
If his moods are affecting you, then you might want to consider seeing your own therapist to help you better deal with everything. (I don't think you're being selfish, btw.) If you aren't in a good place mentally, then you can't really help him either. So you don't want to cater to his needs to the point that you are at the end of your own rope. If you don't want to see a therapist, maybe you can talk to a friend or relative who can give you the support you need.
Edit: Each community usually has a mental health clinic that offers services on a sliding scale based on income. You could call your family doctor, or the health department, or look up mental health or counseling in the yellow pages. One of those sources should be able to tell you how to get in touch with them.
Good luck.Health Question & Answer
Other than that, just try to be supportive of him and reassure him that you care about him. A lot of times people who genuinely try to help a depressed person will get frustrated and give up on that person if they don't get better quickly enough. I think that's probably a natural enough reaction. But when these people alienate the depressed person, that just worsens his depression. It can be a vicious cycle. So try to the best of your ability to be tolerant and understanding.
If his moods are affecting you, then you might want to consider seeing your own therapist to help you better deal with everything. (I don't think you're being selfish, btw.) If you aren't in a good place mentally, then you can't really help him either. So you don't want to cater to his needs to the point that you are at the end of your own rope. If you don't want to see a therapist, maybe you can talk to a friend or relative who can give you the support you need.
Edit: Each community usually has a mental health clinic that offers services on a sliding scale based on income. You could call your family doctor, or the health department, or look up mental health or counseling in the yellow pages. One of those sources should be able to tell you how to get in touch with them.
Good luck.Health Question & Answer
DO NOT LET HIM TAKE ANTI DEPRESSANTS THEY MAKE YOU FEEL EVEN WORSE AND MAY DEVELOP SUICIDAL THOUGHTS (this is not meant to be shouting im just trying to get you not to that's all i am a generally nice person don't worry)Health Question & Answer
anti depressants usually help--Health Question & Answer
rossanna is right on some parts certain anti depression meds can cause suicidal thoughts it happened to my dad and he tried ODing on them but he told my mom what he did and he got his stomach pumped it takes about 6 months or longer to regulate the anti's to his specific body and even with insurance they're about $30 a month and it more than likely won't be just one pill my dad's on like 3 or 4 types but it sorta helps its better than when he's off of them, but what helps a lot is walks i don't live with my parent's but i only live a few miles away from them so i'm at their house a lot and my dad will take the dog for a walk about 45mins or 30mins and you can tell by his attitude and how talkative he is if he went for a walk with the dog that day or not, but walks and exercise in general help a lot but try these things before it's too late, not like he's going to do something to himself but before he might try to harm himself and end up in the mental hospital my dad ended up going about 4x last year and they have them stay anywhere between 3 days and 7 days or more. but since he's been regulated on his meds and exercise he hasnt gone back in about 8 months Health Question & Answer