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

12 ways to encourage someone with
depression to seek help
• 1. Repeatedly assure them, “Having depression doesn’t mean
that you are weak. It probably means that you have been strong for
too long - we care for you, we want you to be happy, let us help
you.” Reassure them that willingness to seek help is a sign of
bravery - courage is not the absence of fear; it’s acting in spite of
fear.
• 2. Having someone in the family or community whom the person
respects and trusts, e.g. pastor, monk/nun, ‘ustaz/ustazah (Islamic
religious teacher), family doctor, good friend to encourage them
will likely make the session more successful. Repeatedly and
consistently convey the message, “Depression is not weakness; it’s
an illness.”
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