5 ways to help a depressed or anxious friend

5 ways to help a depressed or anxious friend

We can’t be happy all the time. And our friends won’t be happy all the time.

But one thing we can do to enjoy more happiness is to help others. Helping others will increase the likelihood of us enjoying positive moods like happiness AND hopefully help the other person enjoy more happiness.

So if you know someone who struggles with anxiety or depression then keep reading…

via Bustle by Niellah Arboine

When I was 17 my best friend had serious depression. I didn’t really understand what it was at the time, and we never really talked about it. So I’d come and visit her every day after school, while she had stayed at home all day, and I knew I’d be one of the only people she’d see for weeks. I’d listen to her, keep her company, and just made sure I was there, without judgment. The truth is, sometimes it’s hard to know how to help a best friend with anxiety and depression, but below are a few simply steps to follow that if you’re feeling a bit lost.

According to Anxiety UK, more than one in 10 people are likely to have a disabling anxiety disorder at some point in there lives, and right now, 40 percent of disability in the world is due to depression and anxiety. This means it’s likely that you or someone you know will experience these conditions in the future, or have already been experienced them.ADVERTISING

Everyone wants to be there for their best friends through all the ups and downs life can throw at us, including any mental health struggles they’re going through. We all want to know how to effectively reach out to our mates and support them in the best way possible. Here are some tips on how to help a loved one based on advice from mental health professionals and organisations:

1. Create a non-judgemental space

If you don’t suffer with mental health issues, it can be challenging to understand the symptoms and exactly what your friend is going through. However, as the Menthal Health Foundation suggests, try to “provide an open and non-judgemental space with no distractions.”

“Depression and anxiety are laden with so much fear that it can seem impossible to sort out, and so sharing might feel overwhelming,” Psychologist and Counselling Directory member Philip Karahassan says. “They have been judging themselves for so long they don’t need another’s judgement too. They may have been carrying around their issue for so long that they are not used to sharing. By allowing them to explore in a non-judgemental setting it will give your friend both mental and emotional space away from the problem so that they can think and feel their way out of it.”

…keep reading the full & original article HERE