How to Help Someone You Love Cope With Depression

Lists of what to do and what to avoid based on my own experience

Photo by Austin Kehmeier on Unsplash

During the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, the percentage of U.S. adults experiencing depression increased dramatically, from 8.5% to 27.8%, and has continued to rise. (Source: Boston University School of Public Health study, as reported here) Chances are good that you know someone who is struggling with this illness and want to help them, but may feel powerless and not know what to say or do.

As a person who suffers from depression, I offer the following lists of suggestions, starting with what NOT to do:

1. Resist the temptation to say things like “cheer up,” or “look on the bright side.” As noted on the Mayo Clinic’s website, depression causes a persistent feeling of sadness that one cannot simply snap out of. Telling someone who has clinical depression to “look on the bright side” is like telling a wheelchair-bound person to just get up and walk. It can also add to the feelings of guilt and self-blame that often accompany depression.
2. If the depression is triggered by a death or some other traumatic circumstance, don’t claim that “it’s all part of God’s plan.” You are certainly free to believe that and be comforted by the thought that there is some purpose behind all…