Depression can be a peculiar disorder, especially for those who’ve never been depressed a day in their life. What happens when you’re feeling depressed? Are the feelings truly yours? Or, do they belong to someone else? Can you ‘catch’ depression like you catch a cold?
Below are some tips to help you deal and interact with the depressed people in your life:
7 Steps to Interacting with the Depressed People in Your Life
Depression (emotion ) (Photo credit: Andreas-photography)
Notice when your feelings are off.
If your home environment has been turned upside down, and you find yourself living with someone who’s depressed, you could experience emotional highs and lows. Step back and ask yourself, “Are these my feelings?” You may be surprised to find out that they’re not your feelings.
If you’re empathetic, you become like a sponge and absorb the feelings of others. It’s important to clear yourself and energy field every day. You could meditate; take sea salt baths, etc. to rid yourself of lower energies that are not yours.
Stay positive.
There’s no reason for you to stifle your upbeat, positive attitude. Be who you are, even when you’re around those who are in a state of depression.
Send them love and light.
You don’t have to totally cut-off the depressed people in your life. Send them lots of love and light and try to uplift their spirits.
Don’t take anything personally.
This can be easier said than done. But try not to take things personally. If someone says something nasty to you, know that it has nothing to do with you. People usually say things out of aggravation and frustration.
Laugh!
Laughter really is the best medicine. Watch comedies or listen to comedy records. Watch funny YouTube videos! Do whatever you can to laugh and shift your mood when you’re around someone who’s depressed.
Have an attitude of gratitude.
Be thankful that you’re not in a state of depression. You probably have no idea what the depressed people in your life are going through. Be as understanding as you can and don’t fall into the trap of trying to ‘fix’ everyone’s problems. You can’t fix it.
Consult with a psychologist or counselor.
It wouldn’t hurt to speak to a professional if you’re surrounded by people who are depressed. You could learn how to deal the people in your life who are depressed and learn more about depression. The more you know the better you’ll be able to understand why and how someone becomes depressed.
Related Articles on Depression
- Getting Help for Depression (www.webmd.com)
- Understanding Depression (www.helpguide.org)
- Depression (health.nytimes.com)
- Depression Symptoms (psychcentral.com)
