I'm Still Human: Understanding Depression With Kindness (Expanded Edition - 2021)

Say: It’s unfortunate that so many bad things had
happened to you. Thank you for sharing your
experience. We’ll see what we can do to help you cope
with the challenges.
(4) It’s a result of your bad karma or sin; do more good and let
go-lah!
WHY NOT? We may induce or worsen guilt and shame feeling
which are common in depression. It may also trigger thoughts of
worthlessness, "I'm not good enough.”
Say: Bad things sometimes do happen in life and nobody
knows why. It happened to me/ my relatives/ my
friends too (share your experience). It's painful. Let’s
try to move on together.
(5) How long more do you want to be depressed?
WHY NOT? Being depressed is not a deliberate choice. People with
depression are often victims of abuse (e.g. bullied in school) and
discrimination (deprived of a job opportunity).
Say: Wow, you’ve been struggling for so long. It must be
challenging to go through this alone. Well done for not
giving up. Let me know if there’s anything that I can
support. We care for you.
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