Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
When a loved one is depressed, it is hard to see them so. But other than medical treatment and counselling, there are a few things you can do too.
The pain is unbearable. The pain of seeing someone close to you going through any illness is bad, but when the illness is depression, the pain is worse.
My mom suffers from depression. She explained how it feels when the cloud of depression descends — the sense of panic that comes over when it is dusk, the suffocative feeling in chest, the headaches that last for few days, the terrible mood swings, the crying jags for no reason, the feeling of drowning in sea. It is terrible to fathom the desperate feeling.
I have seen and observed few of the episodes. In my limited experience some ways I found effective in helping the loved one come out of such episodes are listed below
This is the best way for your loved one to cope. Please listen without judgements. Sometimes you may feel the rambling talks get nowhere but please do not offer solutions. Your loved one is not looking for a solution, they are looking for a validation of your love, of how much they are needed in your life. Limit your interjections and comments to showing encouragement, support and love towards them.
Mild forms of physical exercise like long walks and yoga help a lot. Go with your loved one for walks. Encourage them to go for walks with friends if you cannot go yourself. Yoga is an excellent way to prevent depressive episodes if practiced daily. Pranayama helps a lot to control the headaches.
Inspirational books and CDs provide lot of help in diverting attention of the patient. Get your loved one autobiographies and motivational books of people who have overcome depression. The bewilderment of depression and being alone suffering from this uncommon ailment is too much to take in. When they read or hear about depression, it will help them in coping with this disease. Religious discourses also help many times, to instill faith in oneself.
Watch comedy shows or movies with your loved one. This may help only in the initial stages of the episode but sometimes may help in deflecting a full mode depressive episode. Make it a habit to daily watch some light comedies or humorous shows along with your loved one.
This is meant only for the family not for the person suffering from depression. The common myths associated with depression like ‘depression is a form of madness’ need to be debunked and trashed. Depression is a disease just like heart attack. Many well known people have suffered from depression. Robin Williams and Abraham Lincoln are two famous personalities who suffered from this disease. Some patients may show suicidal tendencies but the family needs to be aware and on the lookout.
Treatments for depression are effective for many patients. In my mom’s case we started with treatment but it was causing side effects like weight gain, and a dependency on medicine for sleeplessness. What I remember of the origin of this disease is when my mom was very stressed out and it started out with insomnia. She started taking sleeping pills for insomnia and became dependent on it. Later on panic attacks, wild mood swings were the other symptoms. She attempted suicide twice but thankfully was unsuccessful in both attempts.
The guilt I have is unbearable- not being there for her in time of her need since I live in another country. But with constant encouragements she is in a better position now. The panic attacks and episodes come, but she knows now that she can overcome them. I am forever indebted to God that she was unsuccessful in her attempts to take her life. May you and your loved one have the strength to beat this disease.
Published here earlier.
Image source: pixabay
A budding writer read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address