my wife suffers from depression what is the best way to support her?
437124
Pray for her, love her, listen and understand..it is about all you can do.
11947
She more than likely is suffering from some form of depression.  Have you tried talking to her (calmly, Open-minded)?  The best you can do for her is listen to her without judging her, let her know that you are concerned and care about her.  Just be there when she needs you.
199354
I have anxiety and my husband doesn't suffer from anything...You have a head start...depression is somewhat like anxiety. If she is a girly-girl (like me), give her a good amount of affection, all the while telling and re-telling her that you love her. Sometimes, if my husband's voice is very calm and loving, it will calm me down. She just needs to know that you are there for her. And don't do like my husband and think it's funny for her to freak out so you egg it on. Simply telling her everything is going to be okay...isn't enough. If she starts freaking out too much, just hold her...that's a soothing thing to do. It has been proven to relieve stress. I hope this helps.
26516
Get moderate exercise and plenty of sunshine.\n\nA walk first thing in the morning is likely to help!\n\nIf you feel depressed for longer than a couple weeks, you should see a doctor or therapist.  Talk therapy and the right medicine are best for depression.\n\nSome nonpharmacologic methods of treating depression include psychotherapy, exercise, support groups, self-help literature, and light therapy. Patients shouldn't undergo nonpharmacologic therapies unsupervised or for prolonged periods because longer periods of depression are more resistant to treatment and 70% to 80% of patients respond to an adequate trial of pharmacologic therapy.7,12,16,17
749627
I was once in her position and the most helpful thing was the love and support of everyone around me. She needs professional help and will not be able to get through this hard time without it! Make sure she is seeing a doctor about this problem and make sure you are there for her 100%! She needs to know how many people truly love and care for her right now! Assure her that she is going through nothing unusual and that she can make it through. If either of you are religious, I recommend saying prayers together and regularly attending church. Faith can help you through so much! If neither of you ar religious, just stick to the professional help and make sure she has a support group (friends and family) throughout her recovery! Good luck!
779836
Well, yes, I am a depression survivor.  I did not conquer it so much as just learn to deal with it.  I know I am vulnerable to depression.  I know it doesn't take much and that I am one to dwell on things and also to sulk and mope.  I am also a more introverted person and need my space, so for me, going out and partying would not help!  \n But I did learn that moping and staying home and not dealing with things is also very bad, probably the worst thing you can do.  \n\nIf you need time alone, you should take it, but make sure you are doing something productive or something you enjoy.  I need to do something creative usually.  If you do nothing, you will probably just feel worse.  \n\n    Getting exercise, doing a project, really helps.  For me, I like to cook, bake, or do crafts.  I like to read too, but I find too much sitting gets me in a bad mood, I will feel guilty if I just sit around and read all day, so I only read before bed now.  I make sure I get things done that I need to so that they do not pile up and overwhelm me. I try to keep things tidy and stop clutter from piling up, clutter is an energy-sapper.  I'm not really good at getting rid of clutter, luckily my husband helps a lot with this.  \n\nI take medication too.  I am pretty good right now.  I only see a psychiatrist once every 6 months, where he will do a med check and decide if he needs to make any adjustments.  If I feel worse in the meantime, all I have to do is call and I can get in right away.  He told me since I had depression most of my life, I will probably always need some medication.  \n  I just accepted that it's part of my personality.  (maybe somewhat my upbringing, and that I developed unhealthy ways of dealing with problems and of relating to people)  I don't want to become unable to function again.  I don't want to feel bad minute of every day.  I try to be proactive about it and nip the problems in the bud.  I work on things before they get out of control.  \n  At this point, you need help right away.  You need to get to a doctor, get to a therapist.   If you have been seing a doctor, talk to him and let him know you are not improving.  He should be able to come up with some ideas on what you need to change.  Get a new therapist.  counseling helps, but you have to be able to work with the person you are in therapy with.  You have to be able to communicate with them and tell them what is working and what isn't.  That is different for everyone.  You might have to change therapists a lot until you get one that "fits" with you and how you like to solve problems, and go about your mental healing.\n  Good luck and keep trying!
933196
theres many things you can do. when im depressed or feeling low, i call or talk to one of my friends or family members. i also like listening to music. another thing you can do is eat your favorite food.
530403
It's Postpartum Depression.. The best thing to do is for her to take medication. HOWEVER, some women would think that people think they are crazy when they are asked to take medication.. So just do not push her too much and give her time and space. \nIt's all part of being a woman. :)
654121
Your husband can pay the bills. You can work on your illness and seek a professional there. You need to meet others who are mentally ill in therapy groups to understand better what skills you need for life. Depression is created in our own mind when you use expectations that are hollow. Your brain will return real pain to you until you change your expectations for love and life.
103942
There are many ways you can overcome depression that work very well. The most important thing to remember is that you can control your thoughts and feelings. You can learn to change habitual thoughts and feelings that bring on the moods of depression. \n\nOne of the best ways to combat depression is to stay active. Find activities that you enjoy and seek out new interest. People are usually depressed when they have nothing to do. Get active in your community, join a bowling league, take a class at your local community college, volunteer your time to an organization, or take up a new hobby such as stamp collecting or crocheting. Busy yourself with things you enjoy doing.\n\nBe positive! When life lets you down, make a list of the good things in your life. Even the small ones count. The list can include such things as your family, your friends, your job, your back yard, your health, and even your ability to grill or cook. List items that you are good at doing. You may think grilling a steak to perfection is no big deal, but I have no idea how to grill a steak without it being leather. So, that is a feat to be proud of. On this list put every little thing. Now, when you feel depression coming on, take out this list and read it over and over again. This may help you with your self worth. \n\nDo not let others cause your depression! You can allow others to hurt your emotions, or anger you and this can also bring on depression. Remember the person that is negative is not you! Do not let their moods influence your emotions. So, what they don't like your shirt, they don't like the way you cooked breakfast, or they have some other complaint. You like your shirt, you enjoyed breakfast, and their complaints are just that, complaints without any merit. I am not saying to ignore others, but don't let them drag you down. \n\nDon't sit around by yourself! Being alone and idle can bring on major bouts of depression. Everyone enjoys having others around whether in a small group, one on one, or big social functions. Get out in the world. Find like minded friends and family to occupy those times. \n\nIf you are still having problems with depression and just can't seem to rid your life of these feelings it would be advisable to visit your doctor. There could be a medical reason that is causing your depression such as prescribed medicines, menopause, or other illnesses.\n\nGOOD LUCK TO YOU!!
1079058
get her to go see her doc...they have meds that can help stabilize her moods...you dont have to suffer...either of you. Good Luck.
567236
Talk to her and give her information on depression... Google the word depression and print up some articles.\n\n\nhttp://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=SUNA,SUNA:2006-11,SUNA:en&q=depression
16338
No one can really do it for you.  However, have a supportive spouse to positively encourage helps and/or an exercise buddy is great motivation!  You just have to both be willing to pull yourself and each other out of the slump.  I am working on that myself!  Good Luck!  You can do it!
199923
Although you can't force her to do anything, I would strongly urge her to seek help.  This is not normal, and if she goes through with it she will hurt a lot more people than just her and her husband.
1033441
That really depends. You could try something like caffeine which MIGHT offer a temporary surge of energy which might get you to feeling a bit better, but professional care is really the best way to go if you are feeling very depressed, especially if it lasts any length of time (over a week or so).
176426
http://forums.psychcentral.com/\nThis forum board has a great deal of wonderful people who deal with many different things. I am sure you can find answers here to most questions you may have. The board is run very carefully and the website itself is run by a psychologist. I certainly wish you the best, depressed children need all the help and support possible. Congrats for trying to be there for them.
308368
Reaching out is always a good but tough step.  The best person to ask would be a local mental health practitioner - be it a doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist.\n\nBeyond that, it would depend on the area that you are in or would like to go to.  I've attached a link to the National Mental Health Services Information website.  You can click on your state, then click on the 'locator', choose your city and see what services are available.\n\nI'd also consider contacting the Depression and Bi-polar Support Alliance.  It is a patient run support organization and they are in nearly every community and might be able to refer your to a good residential treatment facility.  Depressed Anon is similar and might also be able to help.\n\nAdditionally, the American Residential Treatment Association might be able to help find a facility nearby, though they are limited.