If You Know Someone Suffering From Depression
What you say to someone who suffers is important. Remember not to take it personally if they can’t or won’t open up to you. Compassionately reach out.
When they do open up, do not brush it off or ignore them. There is nothing for you to fix. Just listen. Sometimes, just knowing they are not alone will help them move out of the pain.
“The worst part of depression is that it narrows the field of vision into a very small tube so they can’t see the options,” according to Dr. Adam Kaplin, an associate professor in the departments of psychiatry and neurology at Johns Hopkins University.
The goal of helping is giving people who suffer from depression a voice and allowing them to be heard. This pulls them out of isolation and helps them feel loved.
Reach out to them, be with them, and listen to them.
This will and can save a life.
It saved mine.
Depression is a disease of the heart, one that equals sadness.
Suicide is not reversible, but sadness, if it is caught early enough is.
With compassion, empathy and kindness to one another, we can reverse the disease. We can save each other with sympathy, honesty and love.
Have a story about depression that you’d like to share? Email peacestartermeditation@gmail.com, and you can record your story in your own words and I will be happy to publish at https://bayart.org/
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.