This page is one of our publicly available resources addressing mental and emotional wellness. To see a list of the other public pages related to mental and emotional wellness, mouse over the Mental and Emotional Wellness tab at the top right.  

This page is one of our publicly available resources addressing mental and emotional wellness. To see a list of the other public pages related to mental and emotional wellness, mouse over the Mental and Emotional Wellness tab at the top right. Adapted from this original post. Do You Love Someone with Depression? If you love someone who struggles with depression, you may not know how to show them you love them. One day they may seem fine, and the next they’re sad, distant, and may push you away. It’s important to know that you can help them have shorter, less severe bouts of depression. Mental illness is as real as physical illness and they need you just as they might if they had the flu. Your relationship may seem one-sided during these times, but by helping them through a difficult and painful affliction, you are strengthening your relationship and their mental health in the long term. 1. Help them keep clutter at bay. When a person begins spiraling into depression, they may feel like they’re slowing down while the world around them speeds up. Mail may end up in stacks, dishes and laundry pile up as they feel more and more overwhelmed by their daily routine. Giving them some extra help and keeping chaos in check can give them (and yourself) the gift of a calm environment. 2. Fix them a healthy meal. They may eat very little, or they may overeat. In either case, they may find that fast food or ordering online is easier than fixing a meal.Read more

This page is one of our publicly available resources addressing mental and emotional wellness. To see a list of the other public pages related to mental and emotional wellness, mouse over the Mental and Emotional Wellness tab at the top right. Adapted from this original post.  1. Depression is a mental illness, not a negative outlook, and not a choice. Try to avoid telling someone with depression to think positively or change their outlook. Being blamed for bringing depression onto yourself by wrong-thinking can make matters worse. 2. Initiate making time together. Reaching out to others can feel impossibly daunting for someone with depression, even when company is badly wanted. 3. Statements like “Everyone has bad days” or “I used to feel like you but I got through it” can be powerfully diminishing, minimizing, and even shaming. These might be intended to help but can contribute to a person’s sense that they’re incapable. 4. They may be struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide and feel unsupported by those around them. It can be helpful to initiate a direct, authentic, supportive, non-judgmental conversation about these topics. Making light or joking about self-harm or suicide can be harmful. 5. Expressing feelings can be hard and exhausting when depressed. Try to initiate conversations by asking them if they want to talk about how they’re doing. Try to make yourself available to listen and hold safe space for their emotions. 6. Start a conversation about sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep can trigger depression or make it last longer,Read more

Originally sent by email to a small group of individuals, Jessie agreed to let this be posted so “this information, which I have worked so hard to discover, over time, might … be available to the people who need it …” I had to sit on this a while before I figured out what I could add that was helpful. I realized that for me, a psychiatrist is pretty much just someone with the right set of initials after their name. To me, it’s much more important to investigate the office setup, workflow, and resources than to pick someone with whom you have terrific rapport. Things to consider: Are they covered by your insurance? What is the standard turnaround for medication refill requests? How many days a week are they in their office to take calls, and what type of availability do they have for follow-up appointments? Do they have any support staff? How responsive will they be to an urgent request for paperwork or records? Is there someone in the office who knows how to use a fax machine? How long will it take them to coordinate a prior authorization request with your insurance company if the new year turns over and one of your expensive, tier 4 psych meds is now not covered for a stupid reason, you only have 1 day of medication left, and the med has a terrible associated discontinuation syndrome? Do you expect to be receiving any controlled substances? If so, will you be requiredRead more

If you or someone you love is considering suicide: Despite what we’re told by our culture, considering suicide is far more common than generally recognized or admitted. In many ways, suicidal thoughts are your mind’s way of telling you that something in your life has reached an intolerable point. One of the ways that our community tries to support those of us who consider suicide is by compassionately accepting them where they’re at, and by opening space safe enough for them to share about what’s causing intolerable pain. If you or someone you love is considering suicide, contacting a suicide hotline can also be an invaluable resource. These hotlines have trained professionals who can talk, listen, share resources, and help with safety planning. Because calls are anonymous, no direct intervention is possible, allowing callers to protect their privacy, retain their autonomy, and still receive help. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 Seattle 24-hour Crisis Line: 206-461-3222 / 1-866-427-4747 Public pages relating to mental and emotional wellness on this site: 10 Ways to Support Someone with Depression 10 More Ways to Support Someone with Depression PTSD: How to Support Your Partner (and Yourself!) Jessie’s thoughts on seeking treatment for mental health Everything is Awful and I’m Not Okay – questions to ask before giving up