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When a Loved One Is Depressed
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Is Someone You Care About Feeling Down?
Everyone feels down at times. The blues are a natural, inescapable part of life. Periods of sadness can usually be counted on to let up and be followed by good times. However, an unhappy period that's intense or lasts for more than a couple of weeks can be a sign of depression. Depression is a serious illness that changes the way a person thinks, feels, and acts. It also can disrupt the lives of family, friends, and everyone else who cares for that person. If you know someone you think may be depressed, read on to find out more about depression and what you can do to help. 2a1584

Unmasking the Truth About Depression
Many common myths about depression persist. Do you know the facts?

Myth: It's easy to spot a depressed person.
Fact: Depressed people may hide the way they feel from others. Often, they don't understand what's going on inside them.

Myth: Depressed people could "snap out of it" if they really tried.
Fact: Depressed people are ill and need professional help. The depression is not their fault, and they can't control it.

Myth: Talking about their feelings, especially thoughts about suicide, can make a depressed person feel worse.
Fact: Talking can bring relief to depressed people. It can also show them that others care for them and are willing to help.

Myth: They have so much going for them–they have no reason to be depressed.
Fact: Because depression involves changes in brain chemicals, no one, no matter how successful, is immune to depression.



 
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Last Revised 07/2009 20351091(1)-12/03-EBS-CON