Depression is a medical condition faced by many people. Symptoms for it can vary from person to person, and the reasons for getting depression can be different. Still, there is not much awareness regarding the matter. Therefore, I have collected five various dos and don’ts that can be helpful for a depressed person.

Do’s:

The dos are as follows, 

Support them:

Dealing with a depressed person will never be secure, and as a friend and a family member, you must understand this. There will be days where they will not like to leave the house; they would not like to go to class, they would want to isolate themselves, and they will not want to talk to anyone, but whatever they say, be supportive. Keep reminding them how important they are and how whatever decision they take; you will stand beside them through it. 

Educate yourself on depression:

Having a family member or a friend going through depression in the surroundings can be a lot to deal with, and many times, one does not know what depression is, its symptoms, and how one can get rid of it. 

Therefore, it’s essential to gather all the information regarding depression as it will help you understand what the next person is going through and what goes on in their mind. You can read a book; you can read articles on the internet or scroll through social media to get a grip on the said. 

Try to be patient:

Being patient with a depressed person is necessary as you need to know that they will not be in the same mood every day; there will be days on which they are cranky, and no matter how many times you tell them they are needed and loved, they will not believe it. A depressed person forgets their good qualities very soon, and so they have to be reminded again and again for which one has to be extremely patient.

Listening is the most important thing:

You can never know what goes on in an individual’s mind until they start talking, but if they talk, then one must listen. 

Nowadays, people listen to a reply which is wrong immediately; listening is a skill that everyone must gain control of to become a better human being. The one thing you can do for a depressed person is to listen to them, it may be tough to make them open up, but once you are trusted, and it seems like you will be not judging them in any manner, they will start opening up gradually.

Set boundaries for yourself:

Dealing with a depressed person can be exhausting, frustrating, and take a toll on your mental health; therefore, one must know when they need a break. If taking a break is not an option, set boundaries for yourself so that you don’t lose your sanity. For example, setting a boundary like you will not be available after 9:00 pm will help you relax and give you some time.

Don’ts:

The don’ts are as follows, 

Never take anything personally:


There will be good and bad days when an individual is going through depression. On good days, things are easy. 

They may be in a good mood; they may be listening to you and doing all the necessary things. Still, when it comes to the bad days then things can get out of hands where if you tell them to do anything, they don’t listen to you and to make matters worse, they can attack you emotionally but remember to make a rule never to take anything they are saying personally as they are angry, frustrated, stressed and they don’t mean any of what they are saying.  

Don’t give them advice:

Encouraging the depressed person to consume a healthy diet, exercise twice a week and to sleep on time is easy but before offering advice ask yourself two questions, 

  1. Do they want this advice?
  2. Will they be listening to you even if you do offer advice?

If the answer to both these questions is no, then it is better to keep your advice for the days when they are looking for ways to become healthy, until then, you need to stick to being there for them and listening to everything they have to say.

Don’t compare their experiences to others:

One of the biggest mistakes we make while dealing with a person going through depression is that we compare experiences which is wrong. For example, saying things like, but you don’t have it as bad as person A. 

This kind of behavior is harmful and can break their heart when a person is feeling depressed. They are unfortunate; they must be told that their pain is valid, and they are allowed to feel as sad as they want to be.

Never try to fix them:

Depression requires being treated by an expert who can listen and advise on what needs to be done further. As a person dealing with a depressed person, it is okay to have strong feelings where you want to try to fix, but you need to understand that it can be done by making sure that they are sleeping on time, eating on time and most of all that they keep talking and you keep listening. To fix someone does not mean to tell them that you will be fixing them on their face as that can cause negative feelings.

Don’t have a stance on medication:

If you are against medicine and the depressed person you are associated with thinks that medicine is making them strong enough to consider therapy, then it would be a smart choice not to have a stance of medication. You can talk about it when they are better. 

To sum it all up, depression is not an easy road, and if someone around you is going through it, make sure to know the dos and don’ts around them so that things are easier for you and them. You never know you can be the reason for a person returning to a normal and healthy life.