How do you support a depressed bestfriend?

[chichi143]

How do you show your support for a depressed friend?
Any tips or any psychiatrists here who can give tips? Or anyone who has experienced it?
Thanks

[bagaholic_chewy]

Depends din siguro kung ano reason ng depression nya. Most of the time, they just need someone to be with them physically and to listen (as in listen talaga, with no analysis and no judgment) to them.

[chichi143]

well... she can still function naman... Pero she thinks, the only way for her to be successful in her career is to be unhappy. She feels na she deliberately sabotage herself

[bagaholic_chewy]

Baka naman hindi depression yan. Workaholic lang?

[killbill]

My close friend / fellow GT would send me flowers. Last weekend flowers + cake. Super na appreciate ko. Super laking tulong na may makikinig lang sa rants ko.

[junetwentythree]

I'd encourage her to seek professional help. I'm not sure what it is that she's going through -- this deliberate sabotage might have something deeper that we don't really know. If she has clinical depression, support from family and friends can only do so much.

[badw33d]

TS: she needs to quit job and do some R&R. travel if she must. this needs to clear the mind.

[chichi143]

Thank you guys for all your inputs!

She's a very creative person. An artist by heart. So she feels that in order to create art, she needs to be unhappy. So she had a realization na she's been doing that to herself for a while na.

We talked about it... masinsinan.
I figured travel will greatly help. So we planned on it na.

Also I told her to consult professional help. Medyo mahirapan nga lang kami kasi anak siya ng isang powerful na tao. But this is something that I highly encourage and told her that if she ever decides to go, ill always be there to be with her during visits.

She seems to be doing better this days.

[chichi143]

My close friend / fellow GT would send me flowers. Last weekend flowers + cake. Super na appreciate ko. Super laking tulong na may makikinig lang sa rants ko.

flowers! i love flowers! this is a good idea thank you <3

[killbill]

^welcome sis

[anapatootiee]

Ohhhh.... Well, for me you have to tell her that it's normal to create such beautiful art whenever you are unhappy. Even professional artists do that BUT that doesn't mean that after you create such beautiful work, you should be unhappy for the rest of your life. In my opinion, your friend simply wants to create another masterpiece. But you have to remind her that making an artwork should be natural. I mean, di nya kailangang pilitin ang sarili nyang maging malungkot just to create her works as beautiful as her past works.

[beachgirl]

If travel doesn't help, she could try going to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist will be able to say if what your friend is going through is normal or if your friend is clinically depressed. In the latter case, the psych will prescribe antidepressants.

I'm glad you're there for your friend, sis.

[hisana]

^I agree, thank God for supportive and understanding friends. 😊

It's very difficult to overcome depression, and it can definitely frustrate and alienate others around you.

[beachgirl]

^ And if it's clinical depression, the friend will really need meds.

[chichi143]

Thanks guys!!!
Awesome advices. Really appreciate it.

We are definitely looking into visiting a shrink.
After all, it's one way to really verify if it's something that really needs professional help because we both are
strong advocates of mental health awareness here in our country.

But I guess... What I can advise to anyone reading this same thread is that most of the time, we can help them
by just being there.