Believe it or not, but all of it helps. Anyone can fight depression. And yes if a person has moral support, this fight would be a lot easier. Make things easy for mentally ill patients. Just don’t judge them or give them advice. If you can’t understand an illness, it’s okay. You can keep your mouth shut.
Helping out 1 person & making sure that he/she doesn’t commit suicide is, by all means, 100 % success.
Anyway, these are 10 tips that could really help. Also go through the link…I just couldn’t copy/paste everything over here.
1. Don't blame yourself
This is the simplest, cheapest, and most important thing you can do to beat depression.
“You need to be able to own the reality that depression is a physical illness like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer,” says Richard Raskin “You can’t get over it by ‘trying harder’ or adjusting your attitude. It requires acceptance that you have a physical illness that requires attention, and that it makes no sense to blame yourself for it.”
2. Talk about it
It’s not easy, but telling people about your depression is better than keeping it a secret.
“Not everybody is going to understand and be supportive,” says Raskin. “If you have a broken arm, or back pain, or a headache, everybody can relate to those, for everyone has experienced them. Not so with mental illness.”
But even if they don’t entirely understand what you’re going through, friends, family, and other confidants can provide emotional support, help you seek out treatment options, and serve as sounding boards. “Don’t let yourself become isolated,” says Raskin. “To the degree that you can reach out, reach out.”
3. Get regular exercise
It may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re depressed, but going for a run or hitting the gym can actually make you feel better.
4. Postpone major decisions
Depression can affect your perceptions and judgment, so it’s wise to put off big decisions about your relationships or career until you’re feeling better.
“One of the symptoms of depression is having a negative outlook on many things going on in your life,” says Raskin. “This alters your judgment on almost everything, and you might not be aware of it. So to the extent possible, important decisions should be delayed.”
5. Take care of your health
6. Maintain a daily routine
Sticking to a regular routine as much as possible is important for people who are battling depression.
7. Eat a healthy diet
8. Avoid drugs and alcohol
Although it can be tempting to drink or use drugs, don’t do it.
People who suffer from depression and anxiety often turn to alcohol and drugs to relieve their symptoms, but that strategy tends to be harmful in the long run.
9. Try to sleep well
Depression and a lack of sleep often go hand-in-hand. Sleep problems such as insomnia are common in depression, and for many people a lack of sleep depresses mood.
Much remains unknown about the connection between depression and sleep, and everyone has different sleep needs, but experts recommend that depressed people get enough sleep and maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule.
10. Don't over schedule
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed is a common trigger for depression symptoms. If you’re struggling with depression, it’s important not to over schedule your time and take on more than you can manage. If you have complicated tasks to perform at work or at home, break them up into manageable pieces.
And remember: It’s OK to slow down a bit. “Maybe you can’t work at 100% capacity,” Raskin says. “Maybe you can work at only 75% capacity. Still, that’s an accomplishment.” But, he adds, “if you really can’t function, you have to be compassionate with yourself. You deserve a break; take a sick day, whatever you need.”
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20312087_1,00.html
