Anonymous asked: my best friend has pretty much all of the symptoms of depression.. what should I do?
Well, this depends on a lot of factors. The short answer is that you should advise your friend to get help. If your friend doesn’t want to get help and you’re afraid that they might hurt themselves, tell somebody at school/their parents/a trusted adult etc.
If your friend has parents that would support going to a doctor, or is of age, then maybe suggest that they see a doctor about the issues.
And above all, it’s important to ALWAYS show your support, always be available to listen, etc. Never say anything like “you just need to be more positive” or “I have my own problems, why do we always talk about yours?” or “I can’t handle your negativity.” You’ll need to have another friend that you can talk to about your own things to sort out, because your friend that is depressed will need to focus on themselves and getting better.
Just make sure that your friend knows that you are there for them, and always will be.
Edit: It’s also important not to make ultimatums or seem like you’re forcing them to do anything unless you’re afraid that they’re going to hurt themselves or others.
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puzzlie said:
This is the best advice.
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leopoldian liked this
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ragingbitchfest said:
I once had a friend who told me that if I didn’t go on anti-depressants, she couldn’t be my friend anymore. ….I was the one who stopped talking to her, shortly thereafter.
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scarlettshazam posted this
