{"id":2759,"date":"2018-04-16T19:58:42","date_gmt":"2018-04-16T19:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/depressionhelp\/?p=2759"},"modified":"2018-04-16T19:58:43","modified_gmt":"2018-04-16T19:58:43","slug":"connect-depressed-friends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/depressionhelp\/2018\/04\/connect-depressed-friends.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Connect With Depressed Friends"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"how<\/a><\/p>\n

Do you want to better connect with your depressed friend? I know some of my friends wish they could better understand me, or help me cope with the darkness. I get that they want to help. But there is a gap between their world and mine. Instead of writing\u00a0an article on how to connect with a depressed friend, I’m sharing a video that\u00a0I love.<\/p>\n

How to connect with Depressed Friends<\/h3>\n

How To Connect With Depressed Friends is a TEDx\u00a0 presentation<\/a>. Comedian and storyteller Bill Bernat has some dos and don’ts for talking to people living with depression. Some excerpts from Bill Bernat:<\/p>\n

Pumpkin spice latte<\/h3>\n

“The World Health Organization says that depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide, affecting 350 million people. Depression is super common, yet in my experience, most folks don’t want to talk to depressed people unless we pretend to be happy. A cheerful facade is appropriate for casual interactions. A depressed person can ask for extra syrup in their pumpkin spice latte without explaining that they need it because they’re trapped in the infinite darkness of their soul and they’ve lost all hope of escape –”<\/p>\n

Why does this chasm even exist?<\/h3>\n

“Why does this chasm even exist? On the one side, you have people living with depression who may act in off-putting or confusing ways because they’re fighting a war in their head that nobody else can see. On the other side, the vast majority of people look across the chasm and shake their heads, like, “Why you gotta be so depressed?”<\/p>\n

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