Talking About Depression: How To Talk to Friends About Your Depression
One of the defining and debilitating marks of depression is the feeling of loneliness and isolation. For many, living with depression feels like a giant dark veil has been dropped on the world — you can see others, but they can’t see you.
Deciding to talk to family members and friends about depression is a big step. It requires honesty, bravery, and energy — all of which can be difficult to tap into when you are struggling. But, it is an important step to a better life.
Here, we explore some effective ways you can talk to your health professional, friends, or loved ones about your struggles with depression.
Why Is It Important To Talk About Depression?
Depression is a common and serious mental illness that negatively affects how a person feels, thinks, and acts. This mental health condition affects roughly one in 15 adults every year. It can affect anyone at any age.
Major depressive disorders are often multifaceted, having an effect on the body, mind, and soul. Some common symptoms of clinical depression can include:
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Low self-esteem and low mood
- Loss of concentration and interest
- Troubles sleeping (too little or too much)
- Changes in appetite (weight loss or weight gain)
- Feelings of isolation, loneliness, worthlessness, and guilt
Of course, these are just a few of the symptoms of major depression. These symptoms of depression can come and go, lasting for hours, days, months, and even years.
Talking to someone about your depression is much easier said than done, as one of the first signs of depression is a withdrawal from close connections and relationships. But opening up about your struggles and mental health issues means you could be opening up the door to encouragement and support — two staples in recovery. Building a solid support group is key.
Furthermore, disclosing your depression to sympathetic friends or healthcare professionals can help reduce stress and improve your mood and behavioral health.
How Can You Start the Conversation?
Deciding to tell friends about your depression takes a lot of courage. But deciding to tell them is only the first hurdle. The follow-through is equally as important.
Pick the Right Moment
One thing to consider is when and how to talk to them about your depression. Picking the right moment is key. This will vary depending on your lifestyle and who you’re choosing to speak with.
Obviously, it should be with someone you’re comfortable with. Opening up could sound something like this:
- “I want to let you know that I’m struggling with depression. I’d love your support as I’m trying to figure this out.”
- “I wanted to talk with you about something, and it’s hard for me to put it into words. I feel _____.”
Pick the Right Environment
Picking the right environment is also important. The best thing to do is to pick a time and a place with limited distractions. Depending on the relationship, you need to decide if it’s best to talk in person or over the phone. Either way, personal connection is key.
Share What You Need To
Disclosing your past and present struggles with depression doesn’t mean you have to open up like a fire hydrant. In fact, less is more in some cases, especially when it comes to revealing something like depression. Also, answering questions is fine, but you always have the right to say, “I don’t really want to talk about that right now.”
Establish Boundaries
Establishing boundaries and parameters on exactly what you want to discuss is important. Furthermore, giving your friends advice on when to talk and when to listen is perfectly ok. Sometimes listening is all you may want.
Offer Ways That Your Friends Can Help
Sometimes simply being there is enough. However, it is important to think ahead of time about your needs and how they can help. Most friends and family will want to do whatever they can to support you; give them the tools when you feel comfortable.
How Else Can I Care for Myself While Depressed?
Self-care is extremely important for those dealing with depression and other mood disorders. This may involve seeking professional help or referrals from your healthcare provider.
This also involves making healthy lifestyle choices for yourself, even in the midst of the dark veil of depression.
Maintain a Balanced Diet
One lifestyle factor is diet. In fact, diet and mental well-being are closely linked. A balanced diet full of veggies, lean meats, and healthy fats can work wonders for your body and mind.
Get Enough Sleep
Proper sleep is also critical for those dealing with depression. Many people with depression also have sleep issues, whether it be insomnia or hypersomnia. In fact, sleep issues and depression can create an unhealthy feedback loop.
Tips for getting better sleep include daily exercise, regular sleep schedules, and getting outside (which helps with circadian rhythm).
Minimize Stress
Another dangerous feedback loop is stress and depression, and the two are inseparably linked. This bidirectional relationship between stress and depression can be remedied by the tips above: proper diet, plenty of sleep, and regular exercise.
In addition, steer clear of your known stressors and avoid substance use. Instead, find healthy ways to promote relaxation.
Support Mental Health With Nue Life
For those struggling with depression, Nue Life’s ketamine therapy offers a therapeutic alternative to traditional antidepressant medications. In short, depression and chronic stress can weaken and decrease neural connections in the brain over time.
By binding to NMDA receptors, ketamine helps restore these connections and promote neuroplasticity, paving the way to healthier patterns in the brain.
In fact, ketamine’s efficacy when it comes to reducing the symptoms of depression is well established. The good news is that all the wellness items above are also a part of Nue Life’s holistic aftercare program. It’s the best of both worlds.
The Bottom Line
Deciding to tell your friends and close relationships about your struggles with depression is a brave step in the direction of healing. But it’s up to you to decide the what, when, and how of it all.
If you’re looking for an alternative treatment to address your symptoms of depression, you can get started today by scheduling a free evaluation. From there, we’ll discuss how our treatment plans and program might work best for you.
Treatment at Nue Life
Nue Life believes in holistic treatment, which means that what happens before and after your ketamine experience is equally as important as the experience itself. We want to ensure you have meaningful takeaways from your experiences and help you establish positive new neural pathways.
That’s why we provide one-on-one health coaching and integration group sessions with each of our programs. We’re here to help map out the mind and body connections in your brain and help you discover the insights that lead to true healing.
Sources:
What Is Depression? | APA | Psychiatry.org
Talk to Someone Now | Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Depression and Sleep | Sleep Foundation
