Advice for the partners of depressed patients
If your partner is depressed they will need all the help they can get. You will be able to help by following these simple suggestions.
- Listen – bear in mind that depressed people may only talk a little and less clearly. Extra effort on your part may be required.
- Care – remember depression is like any illness. Show your partner that you understand what they are going through and give them all your support.
- Understand – your partner is not lazy and not in a bad mood. They are not able to just ‘snap out of it.’ Try to understand what they are going through. Even if they are receiving treatment it may take several weeks for you to see an improvement. So be patient.
- Learn – discover all you can about depression and how to cope with it. Read the pamphlets this series.
- Medication – encourage them to take their medicine as prescribed by their doctor. They should not stop taking it without consulting their doctor. In common with many other illnesses, depression has a physical cause – a chemical imbalance in the brain. Antidepressants are designed to correct this imbalance, and so help your partner to get better.
- Appointments – make sure your partner keeps the appointments.
- Motivation – take care of yourself. Try to lead as normal a life as possible. Living with a depressed partner can be very stressful and make you feel ‘down’. Talk to a counsellor and seek help.
- Sex – your partner may lose interest in sex. Don’t take it personally. Instead, offer to hug and cuddle without any expectation of sex.
- Support – there are various professional support organisations available to help deal with depression. For help, contact your doctor, your local pharmacist or ring one of the helplines.
When your partner is depressed is when they need you most