MAYO CLINIC: Making mental health a priority is a key ingredient
miserable or unhappy without knowing why.
Children and teens may show depression by being irritable or cranky rather than sad. Clinical depression does not require profound sadness or intensely negative feelings. Rather it can be a lack of positive emotion.
Encourage treatment for symptoms
People with depression may not recognize or acknowledge their symptoms. They may have difficulty seeing the point of getting treatment. This is where you can be most helpful.
Consider the following: Talk to your brother about what you've noticed and why you're concerned.
Explain that depression is a complex condition — not a personal flaw or weakness — and that effective treatment exists.
Suggest seeking help from a health care or a mental health professional, such as a licensed counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist.
Express your willingness to help by setting up appointments, going to them and attending family therapy sessions.
Provide support to reinforce healing
You can assist your loved one in the healing process.
Consider these ideas: Encourage sticking with treatment. Help your brother to take prescribed medications and keep appointments.
Be willing to listen — when desired. When your brother wants to talk, listen carefully and intently. Avoid giving too much advice or too many opinions, or making judgments. Just listening can be a powerful tool.
Give positive reinforcement. Remind your brother about his positive qualities and how much he means to you and others.
Offer assistance. Certain tasks for your brother may be hard to do. Suggest specific tasks you'd be willing to take on.
Help establish a routine. Someone who’s depressed can benefit from having a routine or increased structure. This is because it can be difficult for a person with depression to make spontaneous healthy choices, so advance plans or everyday habits become crucial. Offer to make a schedule for meals, medication, physical activity, sleep, outside time or time in nature, and household chores.
Locate helpful local organizations. Access and affordability for mental health treatment can be burdensome. You may be able to use help from resources such as the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health or other community-based groups or programs.
Make plans together. Ask your brother to join you on a walk, see a movie, or work together on a hobby or other activity. But don't try to force him into doing something.
Be patient. For some people, symptoms can quickly improve after starting treatment. For others, it will take much longer.
Be aware of suicide risk People with depression are at an increased risk of suicide. If you believe your brother's illness is severe or in a potentially life-threatening emergency, you may need to:
Contact a health care professional or hospital. Call 911.
What you can do for yourself
Supporting someone with depression is challenging. Part of the challenge is witnessing a loved one's struggle and knowing you cannot complete the path for that person. Understand that emotions such as frustration, helplessness or anger may be natural responses to a loved one having depression.
Practice acceptance and coping with difficult emotions by permitting yourself to prioritize your mental health. Devote time for hobbies, meaningful experiences, physical activity and other valued relationships.