How do you help someone who is depressed?

the best way to come out of depression is DISTRACTION :) stick to your hobbies, and distract yourself, and gradually you will be out of depression !

That's an important question to ask and thank you for asking because it tells me that you care about someone with depression and are willing to provide them support. I'm listing answers based on my personal experience and it's not comprehensive but I think they are some good tips. 1. Recognize the symptoms. Knowing the signs will help you help your loved one. Please see 7 Cups Of Tea's self help guide at https://www.7cups.com/depression-help-online/ 2. Let the individual know that they are loved. This one is HUGE for me. I'm very good at masking and I had a terrible episode where I could no longer hide behind the mask and it bled into all parts of my life. Concerned friends who did not know how to help me, simply told me that they loved me and then asked how they could be there for me. I was in the depths of despair (cliche but true) and even though it didn't clear up my symptoms right away, it gave me strength to know that people loved me even at what I felt was my most unlovable state. 3. Hugs. Okay, not everyone is a hugger so this might not apply... But hugs are awesome, healthy and one of the fastest and most concrete way of making a person feel less alone. And yes, I love hugs because they helped me through the tough times and wholeheartedly endorse them. :) 4. Offer to listen. Then listen actively, without judgment and with lots of love. If you don't understand, don't pretend that you do. Be clear that you hear them and reflect appropriately. 5. Rally the troops. Depression is usually aggravated by isolation so creating a loving protective community around the individual can be helpful. It doesn't mean everyone is going to smother the individual... but having multiple people do #2, #3, #4, #8 can help the patient. 5. Encourage the individual to seek out help and remind them that they deserve to feel better. 6. Accompany them to an appointment or meeting, especially if they are not functioning normally. Or at the very least, offer to accompany them. 7. Offer up resources. Depression can be debilitating and a patient may not have the functionality to look up resources on their own. 8. Keep socializing with them but don't force them to have or be fun. I would try to withdraw and isolate but I have key people in my life who would recognize what I was doing and would reach out to me over and over again until I said yes. I would go out and even if I didn't feel my best, they never forced me to feel anything I wasn't. I hope this tidbit helps. Good luck to you and your loved one.

The first thing to do is to know what depression looks like. Depression is not just feeling blue from time to time. Depression is long-standing, daily feeling of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness and emptiness. A person who experiences depression cannot often see a future for themselves, and feel like the world is closing in around them. The warning signs and symptoms of depression are usually pretty clear to those around the person suffering. Depression is also experienced as a loss of interest and energy in things the person normally enjoys doing, things like working, going out, or being with family and friends. Most people with depression also experience problems with eating and sleeping; either too much or too little. A depressed person’s memory and ability to concentrate will often be impaired too. The person with depression will often be more irritable or feel restless. In order to help someone who is depressed, you have to somehow convince the person to get some help. Tell them they are loved and that they deserve help. Never give up on them, and if all efforts to encourage the depressed person fails, get other people in their life to assist you. Recommend helpful resources to them be it face-to-face care in their community, or online sources.

Show them that you understand, and give them your best advice. I think that it is important to listen to them!

I try to see where the depression originates from and when it started. From there I help them come up with coping strategies!

By being there for them and supporting them with whatever they need. Never judge them and be available and supportive at all times. Never turn your back on them when they need you most.

You can help them by being there for the person. Tell them to hang in there and let them know they are not alone. Also if the person has suicidal thoughts, call an ambulance and send her/him to the er.

Tell them you are there for them whenever they need. Tell them it is okay for them to feel the way they feel and that you will listen to them without judging them. Remind them that they matter to you and appreciate their efforts in doing even the small things. Ask them if they need your company for certain things like going out for a walk or seeing a doctor, maybe that could encourage them to go ahead with it. Always show support and acceptance. And don't forget to take care of yourself too.

Being there for them, letting them know they can come to you to talk is so much more helpful than you can imagine. Even if they don't open up right away, just knowing they have someone they can count on is important. But it is also important to know our limitations. We can only do so much before a professional has to step in. Know your limitations, and be prepared to share resources to those who need it.

Listen, give a shoulder to cry on. Show them you love them and care about them. do NOT tell them what to do.

Sometimes simply being there for someone and letting them know you are there as a shoulder to cry on can mean the world to them.

Let them know that you care. Show them that they are worth much value and that they are loved. Be careful not to make them feel different, they may feel worse about themselves in that circumstance. As long as you are supportive of them, you are a saviour to them.

Talk to them like a friend, and be there for them. Think "If I were in their shoes, what would I want said to me?"

By being non judgement or minimizing their emotions, listening and providing positive companionship

Listen to them. Let them confide in you and reassure them their feelings are totally normal and ok. Sometimes just having an ear to talk to when you're depressed can make the world of difference.

To help someone who is depressed you have to show that your there and that your not leaving then . Show that you want to help and always try to make this person smile.

Listen to them. Let them know that you're there for them and that you're all ears. Tell them that you might not know how hard it is, but you'll try to understand.

Tell them to use their strengths and positive past experiences to help them remember this shall pass.

You react as if you know it's not their fault..you don't put them down by advocating the illegitimacy of depression..You safeguard them from themselves and from the look that resides in your eyes ofy disdain, of pity,and of being just about worn out of their seemingly laziness.

My critique is to make them #1 laugh, #2 realize the situation, #3 giving them advice. but someone people who go into their 'personal bubble' like to be there, and i understand, but that doesn't mean I leave them, i stay around to make sure that this bubble is securing them rather than holding them away from breathing.

You offer them support and a listening ear. There's not much you can do but be there for them and hope they feel better. You can help them by encouraging them to get help if it's getting worse or they're not feeling better too.

The biggest thing you can do is make sure they know that you are there for them. Doing this allows them to know they have purpose in someone's life.

I have been depressed a lot in my lifetime and even more now as an adult. Each person that goes through depression handles it differently and not all cases of depression are the same. You can get depression from a variety of things. I couldn't/can't stand for anyone to tell me that I have to let things go and forget about certain things/people that got me this way. It's not that easy. You can't just get those type of things off of your mind just by saying so. Give that person space. Try not to ask a lot of questions. Even though it is healthy for he/she to get their feelings out in place of keeping them bottled up, but I wouldn't bring up anything unless they choose to bring it up and talk about it. Don't force them to talk because it usually just makes the person even more agitated and depressed. It did for me. Consider their feelings. Actually listen and let them finish what they have to say before giving your input. Don't give an opinion unless they ask for it. It's not easy to distract yourself from this type of thing. You have to just let depression slip away on its own.

First thing is to be kind and supportive, ask them if they have any specific reason for being depressed is for, then talk and support through that problem. If there is no specific reason, then you can maybe help them out regain the interests like introduce them to a new hobby, engage them in some activity. Though is the depression is severe they should seek help from a psychologist

The best thing you can do in that case is to be there for the person without trying to make them feel guilty about how they are feeling, you can ask them to talk to you about what is making them feel so down, and how thaat you can help them through this difficulty time

depressed people are hard to help, most because you can say something wrong. I suggest them professional help.

You listen to them. Ask they what is wrong and how you can help them? You give them resources and tools so they can further help like with a therapist.

Tell them that you will be there for them, be a shoulder they can cry on, be an ear they can vent to, be the eyes they need to reflect themselves in and see that there's no judgement or condescension there, only love and support. And acknowledge that you can not imagine what they are going through and you don't know what their depression is like, but you will be there to comfort them when they need it and they are not a burden for needing to talk about something over and over again and they are not a burden for having a depression because it is beyond their control, but there is the possibility of healing and recovering and you wish the best for them so you will help them help themselves. Be a part of their journey as they save themselves because they are strong enough for that, they just need a shoulder to lean on at times when the going gets tough and they need to rest their legs a bit.

well, 'how' is hard to explain. you have to know what causes the depression, how does this someone take in advices, how this someone's daily environment is, and.... still a lot of other things. I would suggest to go for a professional help; therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists

Be there for them. Go for a walk when they feel up to, if not, open the windows. Let some sun in. Make sure that they eat and help them with chores around the house. Someone with depression might not be able to do it himself, but clothes all over the floor don't help either.