5 Ways to Love Your Depressed Friend l Understanding Mental Illness l Suffering from Depression

Depression. Have you been there? Those who have aren't likely to forget it. Basic tasks become cumbersome monsters, impossible to conquer. Brushing your teeth can feel like a marathon. Sunshine is offensive. Rainy days make it worse.

My best friend suffers terribly from depression. It breaks my heart to see. At first, everything inside of me wanted to drag her out of her house into a world of sunshine and happiness. Maybe she would feel better if, well... she just tried? I talked to her about how beautiful life is. Reminded her of her countless blessings. Cause that will totally fix it! I wasn't being helpful. In fact, I was being clueless.

Depression isn't rooted in laziness or ingratitude. And while my ideas weren't innately bad -- I realized I was trying to make myself feel better about her depression. I spoke with my friend. I asked outright: What should someone do for a loved one who is suffering? What helps?

Together we discussed her feelings. Her perspective. Her pain. And then we worked on some bearings that really helped me be a better friend. Today I'd like to share those with you.