{"id":230513,"date":"2022-07-05T18:26:20","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T16:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?p=117969"},"modified":"2022-07-05T18:26:20","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T16:26:20","slug":"how-to-support-someone-with-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/how-to-support-someone-with-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"How to support someone with depression"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"scaip scaip-1 \">\n<aside id=\"republication_tracker_tool-2\" class=\"republication_tracker_tool clearfix\">\n<h5 class=\"adtitle\">Republish for Free<\/h5>\n<div class=\"license\">\n<p><button name=\"Republish This Story\" id=\"cc-btn\" class=\"republication-tracker-tool-button\">Republish This Story<\/button><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"license\" rel=\"noreferrer license noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Creative Commons License\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/how-to-support-someone-with-depression.png\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Creative Commons License\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/how-to-support-someone-with-depression.png\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"message\">\n<p>Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/?attachment_id=117970\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt width=\"300\" height=\"116\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-117970 size-thumbnail lazyload\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/how-to-support-someone-with-depression-1.png\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-117970 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/how-to-support-someone-with-depression-1.png\" alt width=\"300\" height=\"116\">There\u2019s more to living with depression than having an off day or feeling blue. Depression is a mental illness that can slowly take over a person\u2019s life. And as people live increasingly isolated lives due to the pandemic, the condition is becoming more prevalent.<\/p>\n<p>One in six South Africans may be struggling with depression, according to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) 1 therefore, it\u2019s highly possible that you may be depressed, or know someone struggling with depression.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSadly, there is so much stigma surrounding depression that many people suffer in silence, unable to talk to their loved ones, let alone their doctors,\u201d said Dr Eugene Allers, a prominent psychiatrist. \u201cAdditionally, many people with depression think their feelings are normal and can go years without seeking the help they need.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to know that depression won\u2019t go away on its own, but it can be treated, and you can emerge from the darkness and live a fulfilled life. This is why it\u2019s important to recognise the symptoms in yourself or others and seek professional help.<\/p>\n<p>Symptoms may be subtle<br \/>Depression is not the same for everyone and symptoms can vary. If you or someone you know has had all or some of the following symptoms2 for longer than two weeks3, then it\u2019s time to talk to your doctor.<br \/>\u2022 Being sad or tearful. More than usual.<br \/>\u2022 Feeling hopeless, especially about the future<br \/>\u2022 Lack of interest in regular activities<br \/>\u2022 Irritable and easily upset<br \/>\u2022 Low energy<br \/>\u2022 Trouble sleeping<br \/>\u2022 Difficulty concentrating<br \/>\u2022 Thinking about death or suicide.<\/p>\n<p>How you can help<br \/>The first and most important steps are to reassure them that they\u2019re not alone, and to assist them in seeking medical help.<\/p>\n<p>1. Educate yourself4<br \/>There are credible resources that will help you understand the symptoms, causes and treatment options. The more you know, the easier it will be to overcome the misconceptions and seek out treatment. The Our Mental Health website offers a wealth of reliable information and practical lifestyle tools to help the recovery journey.<\/p>\n<p>2. Reach out2,4<br \/>Ask non-judgemental questions that make your loved one feel safe and accepted, this will help them to open up. \u201cIs there anything going on you\u2019d like to talk about?\u201d is a good place to start. If they\u2019re not open to talking, don\u2019t become impatient. Always let them know you\u2019re there for them. If you can\u2019t talk in person, use video or text messages, or whatever works for both of you. Be supportive, and listen, without judgement.<\/p>\n<p>3. Encourage treatment5<br \/>Some people may be ashamed and wary about seeking medical help. Remind them that asking for help doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re weak; it means they are strong and ready to take the next crucial step in their recovery. Assist them in finding a doctor even if you have to make the appointment and accompany them.<\/p>\n<p>4. Help with errands2<br \/>Simple tasks like doing the laundry or shopping for groceries can be overwhelming. Offer to help take the load off, or better yet, do things together. The company will be good for both of you and give you a chance to talk and understand what they\u2019re going through.<\/p>\n<p>5. Be patient2<br \/>Recovery from depression may take time. Even after being on treatment, they\u2019ll no doubt still have bad days. Encourage them not to give up. Recovery will get better. Be there for them, offering hope and support, and don\u2019t get frustrated if you think recovery is taking too long.<\/p>\n<p>6. Treatment6<br \/>There is effective treatment to relieve symptoms of depression, and sometimes a combination of different treatments will be recommended, and can include,<br \/>\u2022 Medication, such as older or newer antidepressants, mood stabilizers or anti-anxiety medication.<br \/>\u2022 Talk therapy, where a psychotherapist can help find better ways to cope with problems.<br \/>\u2022 Day patient programmes that offer support and counselling to manage symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>#BreakingDepression is possible<br \/>In addition to the right treatment, people with depression need reliable and consistent support from their loved ones. They\u2019ll face challenges during recovery, but they can overcome them, heal, and become stronger, happier versions of themselves. Remember, depression is just like Kintsugi, the Japanese art-form that involves repairing broken objects and highlighting the mended areas with gold\u2013\u2013a powerful reminder that we can all become whole and that there is beauty in our past struggles.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mypr.co.za\/contact\/featured\/\">CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <span class=\"post-views-icon dashicons dashicons-chart-bar\"><\/span> <span class=\"post-views-label\">Press Release Views:<\/span> <span class=\"post-views-count\">77<\/span> <\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-pagination pagination\">Pages: <span class=\"post-page-numbers current\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Page <\/span>1<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/how-to-support-someone-with-depression\/2\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Page <\/span>2<\/a><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\">Source: MyPR.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republish for Free Republish This Story Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. There\u2019s more to living with depression than having an off day or feeling blue. Depression is a mental illness that can slowly take over a person\u2019s life. And as people live increasingly isolated lives due [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":230514,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9021,1],"tags":[3257],"class_list":{"0":"post-230513","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mypr","8":"category-south-africa","9":"tag-mypr","10":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/how-to-support-someone-with-depression.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=230513"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230513\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/230514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=230513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=230513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=230513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}