Dear Friends, This Is How to Support Me in a Depression

You helped me a lot. Here’s how.

Courtesy of my bipolar disorder, I recently went through a depression. It was nasty, it was ugly, and I hated it. It was also my best depression ever, and I’ve shared why in this article.

One of the best actions I took during that depression was reaching out to my support network. It’s the first time I’ve done so, and it made a tremendous difference.

I know I’m lucky. Most people have no idea how to respond to someone who is in a depression. I know this because I talk to people all the time who have a loved one or a friend with a mental illness who feel helpless.

Let’s be honest: Depressed people are tough to be around.

“I wish I had the words to help [my friend] feel better.” “She ignores all my texts. There’s no point in sending them.” “We set up times to hang out, and he flakes. What’s the point of even trying?” “I give [loved one] advice, like going to take a walk, but they just don’t listen. What am I supposed to do if they don’t want to feel better?”

I get it. I totally get it.

From the outside, a depressed person looks lazy. Slothful. Their grooming is non-existent, and they hide from everyone. They become irresponsible, unmotivated…