Core Values Are The Principles

Fear can interfere with moving forward and recovering from depression. Encourage him to use them now. For example, his perseverance or sense of humor might help him through a difficult time. Bring up past successes that obviously show his strengths and abilities. Then offer him new opportunities to demonstrate those strengths and reinforce his confidence. Urge him to plan his future in small, incremental steps. Encourage him to gain the skills to reach his goal, gather the support he needs, and take the action to succeed. It may be helpful if he first accepts his fears, gathers information about them, and then makes plans to confront them. Many people find this far better than passively wishing them away. Core values are the principles, such as honesty, respect, fairness, and compassion, by which we lead our lives. Suggest he practice altruism, the act of helping others. Volunteering can bring great benefits as he works to build resilience.

Burning Bridges

This approach, they discovered, can lead to lower levels of depression and restore hope and a more balanced view. This is a foundation upon which to build resilience. Close relationships build strength and may protect him during stressful times. Family members and caregivers often play the role model who demonstrates skills and behaviors your family member or friend may imitate. Role models help build resilience through their words and actions. Provide consistent and reliable support. Inspire and motivate him by your actions. Model right versus wrong. Show how to handle difficult situations. Model how to control impulses. Advise how to delay gratification and soothe oneself. Demonstrate how to take responsibility for oneself and one’s own actions.

Chip Away The Stone

In addition to physical exercise, daily brain activity keeps the mind sharp and ready to face life’s challenges. Encourage your family member or friend to read, do puzzles, or play challenging mind games rather than sit aimlessly on the couch in front of the television. Remind him that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of his illness. This is frequently done with a therapist, but a family member can reinforce it at home. Help him find something he enjoys and does well. Support him in completing its required educational or training program. This could involve school, work, family, sports, social service, or volunteer activities. Sometimes depression makes it difficult for a person to see them in himself. Reinforce those he already has. It often just takes the right timing and perseverance on his part. You may also find that her illness personally affects you in other ways.

Go Your Own Way

Perhaps you fear that you may have done something to cause your family member’s unhappiness. In addition, the interactions you have with her may be difficult and stressful for several reasons. Those with depression often have trouble reciprocating in a relationship. If that’s the case, you may find it challenging to keep giving of yourself when you are receiving little in return. For example, you may offer love but feel it’s not returned, you may offer sympathy but be told you don’t understand, or you may offer support but be told it’s not enough or not the right kind. This can make you feel guilty, then angry, then guilty for feeling angry. Caregivers sometimes become frustrated with their family member or friend for her behavior and mood swings. This can lead to anger and may destroy relationships. You may eventually start feeling bad about yourself. You may feel sad, begin to doubt your abilities, or feel helpless at being unable to solve your family member’s problems. You may come to resent your friend or family member and then grow angry toward her. Or maybe you desire to escape the situation entirely. This can make you think you are selfish and unloving, which is certainly not true. If you find yourself in a difficult situation with your loved one, you may need to take a break from the moment. Take a breather by going outside for a walk or doing something to care for yourself. Everything seems to stop to accommodate her emotional issues and scheduled appointments. Perhaps the time you spend enjoying your own friends and other relatives has been put on hold because your family member’s illness takes priority. You may even lose friends if they are unable to understand depression as a biologically based illness. Many families experience a financial strain due to loss of income. Your ill family member may have stopped working. Caring for her may have forced you to cut back your own work hours. This is on top of her medical expenses. If your family member who has depression is a spouse or partner, other factors may affect your relationship. You may start assuming different roles, with the healthy person taking on more responsibility for the household duties, family, and relationship. Your daily routine and social life may change. This can result from the depression and some of the medications used to treat it. If your marriage or relationship had troubles before your loved one’s illness, they may continue or grow worse now. Take this opportunity to openly communicate with your partner and have her speak with her provider about the problem. You, as the healthy one, may feel a loss and sense of isolation since your depressed loved one is not as available to you as in the past. A depressed person’s fatigue, hopelessness, constant worry, and lack of interest can be disruptive to the stability of a family. Understanding that depression may be an issue will help you and your partner better prepare for these problems. A partner or other family member is being treated for a mood disorder, it can be very difficult to be left out of the loop on such an important matter that affects the whole family. You can try to get her to talk about issues that impact you and the family, using a respectful and gentle approach. Help her to realize that you are in this together.