Tips for Supporting a Loved One with Depression

Every 11 minutes, someone in the United States takes their own life. Since September is National Suicide Prevention Month, we want to do our part to help bring these numbers down.

The team here at Braincare Performance Center - Cardiff understands the devastating impact that depression can have on a person’s life, and on the lives of those around them.

Unfortunately, rates of depression in our country are reaching all-time highs and 29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives, which is an increase of 10% since 2015. And these numbers don’t reflect the millions of children who are affected by depression.

No matter the age, if you have a loved one who is struggling with depression and you’re, understandably, worried about suicide, here are few important ways in which you can support them.

1. Get Help

Depression can be an incredibly lonely place that’s devoid of hope, so it’s extremely important that you show your loved one otherwise. There is help out there and they are not alone.

At Braincare Performance Center, we’ve helped scores of patients to reverse the downward spiral of depression and find joy in their lives again. When a person has depression, certain areas of their brain go dormant and neural connections fade away. Our goal is to reconnect these healthier neural pathways and wake up certain areas of the brain to better regulate mood.

To do this, we offer magnetic e-resonance therapy (MeRT), a breakthrough treatment in which we begin by mapping the brain and delivering a personalized protocol where magnetic impulses gently stimulate certain areas of the brain to improve communication between cells.   This can reduce depression symptoms and improve quality of life.

To give you an idea about how successful this approach is, in a recent study by Stanford University, this type of brain stimulation led to remission of severe depression in 79% of participants.

2. Listen, don’t solve

Once you get your loved one the professional help they need, you can focus your efforts on listening and support rather than trying to solve the issue. With loved ones, our tendency may be to try and solve problems, but this is one problem that you can’t solve. Instead, just be there to listen. Oftentimes, people with depression just want to feel like they’re being seen and heard.

3. Lend a hand

If you’re frustrated by not being able to cure your loved one’s depression, you can get active in other areas. People with depression struggle with everyday chores, so you can lend a hand while they work toward better mental health with us. We’re not suggesting that you do everything for them, but you might offer to pick up some groceries or get some laundry done, which will help your loved one from feeling too overwhelmed.

4. Be patient and take care of yourself too

This final tip is perhaps the most important (outside of getting medical help). It’s critical that you remain patient, especially if your loved one’s depression is causing them to lash out at you. During those times, step away and give yourself a break. They don’t mean what they’re saying and you shouldn’t take things personally. 

Practicing patience and taking care of yourself are really the best things that you can do for your loved one as they deal with their depression.

If you’d like to learn more about how MeRT Therapy can play a role in helping your loved one break free from depression, please feel free to call our office in Cardiff, California, at 858-306-1070 or get started by  request an appointment online today.