• Question: what advice would you give to someone with depression?

    Asked by random :) to Psychiatry Ward Team, Neel - Psychiatrist, Home Treatment Team, Early Intervention Team, Ed - Mental Health Nurse, Arts Therapy Team, Annabel - Head of HR on 30 Jan 2019.
    • Photo: Arts Therapy Team

      Arts Therapy Team answered on 30 Jan 2019:

      Richard: That it is OK to ask for help and that as frightening as it might feel, it is important to talk through ones feelings, because we have feelings for a reason, to help us understand and to help others understand us. We should not be frightened of any of our feelings, including those feelings some people call negative feelings like anger, sadness or anxiety, these feelings we have for a reason, and its about learning to understand how and why we might be feeling these at any particularly time. Overtime we learn to be guided by and when to put aside feelings and when to support others with our feelings.

    • Photo: Sheffield Psychiatry Ward Team

      Sheffield Psychiatry Ward Team answered on 30 Jan 2019:

      Emma here.

      I would tell them that it is okay not to be okay, and recognising that they are feeling low and talking about it is the hardest step. I would tell them that they don’t have to feel this way forever and that there are things we can do to help – talking therapies and medication as well as support to cope with anything stressful or overwhelming.

      If it was a friend of mine and not a patient, I would tell them that I am there to listen to them if they wanted to talk. It’s important to listen, be non-judgemental and be patient with people – if they are not doing as much/withdrawing from their usual stuff then check in with them and make sure they are ok. Try not to offer solutions such as “Just think positive!” as that is very difficult to do when you have depression. Instead, you could offer to support them – do a bit of shopping for them or cook them a meal if they feel up to it, send them messages letting them know you are thinking about them, maybe even offer to bring round a film or watch Netflix together in your PJs with no pressure to go out of the house if they don’t want to.

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