i jus got prompted by dylan_61's post about his friend. well i got a friend whos depressed and isnt getting any professional help that actually helps. shes very good at covering it up but i know shes still very depressed. can anyone offer some advice?

Originally posted by EdEd
i jus got prompted by dylan_61's post about his friend. well i got a friend whos depressed and isnt getting any professional help that actually helps. shes very good at covering it up but i know shes still very depressed. can anyone offer some advice?

Encourage her to go back to her GP and explain that her current treatment isn't helping. If she's nervous about doing this, help her make a list of the things she wants to say to the doctor beforehand.

Try and get her out a bit - in my experience, things like a trip to the cinema with a friend when you are feeling depressed can really help. Avoid alcohol. Also, if you can encourage her to take up some form of regular exercise (if she doesn't already), that will help to lift her mood too :thumbsup: :)

thanks v much ill try thiose things, any more?

OooOOOOh, just remembered:

Sheffield West Primary Care Trust run a series of one day workshops for managing low mood, or dealing with stress and anxiety. These are held in Hillsborough. They are free of charge but you do need to pre-book on the number below:

Sheffield West Primary Care Trust
Dragoon Court
Hillsborough Barracks
Penistone Road
Sheffield

0114 226 4734

Perhaps your friend could try one of these?

Originally posted by EdEd
i jus got prompted by dylan_61's post about his friend. well i got a friend whos depressed and isnt getting any professional help that actually helps. shes very good at covering it up but i know shes still very depressed. can anyone offer some advice?

Hi EdEd.

People are often very good at covering up hurts, and putting on a brave (i'm ok, everything is ok with me, life is great) front.

Some things she may want to consider are:

1) Don't lie.
Don't lie to yourself or to others. If you're not happy, don't pretend that you are. Especially don't pretend to yourself. You need to admit to yourself how bad things are so you can tackle what's wrong.

2) Exercise.
Regular exercise at least once a day (mornings are a good time). It will help to make you feel better about yourself emotionally.

3) Have some 'me time'.
Spend an hour (or what you can) every day, doing nothing but just being with youself and getting to know yourself. Learn to love and appreciate yourself for who you truely are. Simply be. Meditate. Consider what you're truely grateful for in life. Focus on what you have that makes you grateful. Life could be a lot worse than it is (for all of us).



At the end of life, we're all going to die anyway. So why not STOP running around like a headless chicken and START taking a little time out for yourself.

Hope that helps a bit :)

Originally posted by Jamie
So why not STOP running around like a headless chicken and START taking a little time out for yourself.

Sound advice there :thumbsup: :)

all gd. cant i help her through it or is professional help really the way to go?

Originally posted by EdEd
all gd. cant i help her through it or is professional help really the way to go?

I think if you can help her implement some of the suggestions above (exercise, taking time out, etc etc) then her mood may lift naturally and she might not need any professional help. If it is an ongoing problem however, I would encourage her to see her doctor.

Originally posted by EdEd
all gd. cant i help her through it or is professional help really the way to go?

Personally, I feel it's better if you can help yourself.

I also wouldn't rely too much on experts, because that involves giving my power away.

However, that's just me! For someone else it may be appropriate to seek professional help, it all depends on who they are and where they're at.

Why not discuss it with her?

You could always try both (your help and professional help ... oh and self help) and then use what she feels works best for her.

Get as much help and guidance as possible, but do consider at the end of the day, it's good if you can work things out for yourself in your own way.

I've suffered from depression on and off for over 10 years. I've had tablets, counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
The tablets will never cure depression, however they can lift your mood for long enough for you to figure out whats wrong and start to deal with it, youcan then start to come off the tablets and carryon dealing with things that way. Secondly counselling can help you to start identifying whats causing the depression so that you can start to do something about it.
However, after both of these things I still suffer from (sometimes severe and long lasting) bouts of depression, so I went back to the doctor and asked for more help, I got referred for CBT and this has helped enormously, its one step on from counselling, once you discover the causes you can then start tackling WHY they make you depressed and you train yourself to think differently about things (it takes time) and consequently the way you react to things also changes. It takes time and hard work, but it does work :D
You don't get anything from your doc these days if you don't ask/demand it. So try to get your friend to go and try it, its not admitting defeat, its just asking for help to conquer!!!
Em
xx

If the depression is caused by soem long term or even permanent imbalance in the brain's biochemistry then medication may be the only cure for the problem.

If your brain chaemistry is screwed up, then no amount of talking therapy will help.

However, if the depression is situational - i.e. caused by life events or situations, then the drugs will lift the mood long enough to gain perspective and help therapy work.

I had situational depression some years ago (bereavement and burn-out) and went on meds for a couple of months to allow myself to get my head straight again. I also had talking therapies, but they weren't that useful to me. However, they ARE immensley useful to many people! :)

Be very careful helping your friend; you don't want to set up a situation whereby they become dependent upon you too much.

Encourage them to get help, and be there for them.

Joe

talk talk talk.....

the best way to get the ball rolling is for them to get it all off of their chest

Originally posted by em3978
You don't get anything from your doc these days if you don't ask/demand it. So try to get your friend to go and try it, its not admitting defeat, its just asking for help to conquer!!!

This is so true.

Talking therapies can help - but I think it's very important to remember that for some people anti-depressants can be immensely helpful, if not vital, at least in the short term.

And as Joe says, if the problem is a long-term imbalance in the brain's biochemistry, anti-depressants may be useful as a long-term as well as a short-term treatment.

StarSparkle

Movement is the key.

Physical movement that makes your blood race is good. When you are depressed your body builds up toxins and the best way to release them is through physical movement. Also when your body is in action thinking becomes more balanced rather than predominantly your main function.

It's a good start.

Also Clinical depression is a consideration. Is it clinical or circumstancial? If it is the latter then getting to the grass roots of the problem is a good idea, even if painful.

Best Wishes to your friend

I have had to deal with 3 members of my family over the years with depression. They have all had tablets and I would not treat it with tablets unless there is chemically something wrong.

My opinion is tablets confuse the issue and when you come off the tablets your world is going to be different, but you still have to deal with the problems that made you depressed.

Talking to family, friends and anyone that will listen is good also exercise that has been mentioned. When depressed you want to revert into your own world and not take part in this one. Exercise makes you think and that can be so good for you. Homopathic medicine is also good. As is eating the correct food, they also make a difference.

Depression is terrible for those that suffer and those that are taken along with it. I have never suffered from it but have watched loved ones suffer and it can be a long nightmare road.

Good Luck

Gotta agree with Joe :thumbsup: if there's a chemical inbalance then medication to correct that is the only what to go.

I've had depression for most of my life and always thought I should 'pull myself together' and tried coming off tablets etc.

Once I realised that taking the medication every day is the only way for me then it's helped enormously. Now i do have days where i forget to take them and when i run out because i've forgotten to order a repeat prescription (anti-depressants will only be given on prescription one month at a time) hubby can tell straight away when i've not taken them for a day or two!

But it depends what the cause of the depression is - if it's not a chemical inbalance then there are a lot of different therapies available, some will work better than others depending upon each individuals situation. Support from friends is invaluable and she's lucky to have someone so concerned about her - keep it up!

Well, as ive just posted about my brother being diagnosed with depression at only 15, i am wanting to know about this too. Its devastating really.

I have experience of working with people suffering with depression and anxiety.

I offer patient counselling, holistic massage & stress management. I find talking as well as relaxing and learning to calm and relax yourself is a great way to better manage and cope.

It is a huge topic and different with each individual person.

I find aromatherapy massage with oils tailored to the client most popular.

I have had and continue to have great results with the above.

As a complementary therapist, I look at the whole person (holistically), therefore I look at past, present, future as well as life style, personality and diet, to mention a few areas. You cannot treat one area but the person, mind, body and soul.

Ill keep that number handy lotti. Ive just moved back to Sheffield and living with my parents again, and im single. I might crack soon!

As for the depression, i dont know about chemical imbalences but making someone feel genuinly cared for and a love interest is always good. and any sort of an escape from the mundane

Please do scaramanga!!

It does help to do things that you enjoy and make you happy!! It helps release endorphins which make you feel good.

I find that clients respond well to being listened to as well as advised and a little pampering goes a long way!