This doesn’t fit the “time-waster” category, since you never know if it could save someone. Rather, it’s something more than worth a few minutes of your time on a Tuesday morning.
After Robin Williams died, suicide was all the talk on the news and in social media. As always happens, the talk has faded while the fact remains — the depression battle continues for many thousands of people. For those of us fortunate enough to not battle depression, it’s sometimes hard to know what to say or do. How, we ask, can we help if we don’t truly understand what it’s like? We don’t know how to avoid sounding like a hypocrite, so we often just say nothing. But we all know people who battle depression, so we should at least try to help, or let them know that we don’t think any less of them because they have this battle.
With that said, this article was posted by a friend of mine who DOES battle depression. I figured that if she agreed with it, that would be a good place to start. Here’s what you shouldn’t say — and alternatives that will make you understand a bit more. It’s a lot to take in, so I’ve read it a couple times in the past month. I think it’s the least we can do for our friends and loved ones.
That is a great list…the alternatives are awesome. It is a really hard place to be…on either side of a depression-touched relationship. Knowing you are not alone is really the best best best. Thanks so much for posting this. Keeping the conversation in the forefront, keeping people thinking, keeping the empathy around…thank you.
This is really great. I hope people read it, take it to heart and practice it.