“I don’t want to go to therapy.”
“Therapy means there’s something wrong with me.”
“Getting help is a waste.”
These are things that people have said when it comes to getting help for depression. Each and every one of these things are wrong or untrue.
There are some people who can get out of a depressive episode on their own with time. But a good majority of others are unable to do that on their own and need help. This may mean going to therapy. But it also means talking to friends, family, journaling or more.
Depression isn’t something that is an easy fix. It doesn’t just go away. It takes effort as well as an actual acknowledgement of knowing you’re depressed because a lot of time, you may be depressed and not know it.
The stigma around getting help for depression is negative and deters people from getting what they need, and in turn, making the depression worse and their mental space worse. Causing a negative outcome.
Here are a couple ways people can work on breaking the stigma on seeking help for depression.
Educate yourself
Depression isn’t just a single layered thing. It has multiple layers and there are about a thousand different ways people react and cope with it.
If someone you know comes to you saying they are depressed and don’t know what to do about it. It is important to ask questions that the other person is comfortable with, of course. And really get to know what the situation is.
You can also do research on your own and really understand what depression is if you don’t already know.
It is also important to note that not everyone’s the same. People react to situations differently, and in the same sense, need help in different ways. There is no one “right” or “correct” way to deal with depression.
Therapy or talking to people may work for one person, and for another, journaling or distracting themselves with the gym or work may work better.
It is about doing the research about depression itself and ways to get out of it, but to also do research on the person going through it. This means observing their behaviors. What they like or what they don’t like so you can try to help them through the situation if they ask for it.
Show that it’s OK to seek help
It is one thing to say, “You don’t need therapy because there are other ways to get out of depression.”
It is an entirely different thing to say, “You don’t need therapy because it’s a waste of money to go talk to a stranger.”
The first example is showing that there is some sort of effort behind learning ways to get out of a depressive episode. It implies that there was research done and there actually ARE other ways to get out of a depressive episode aside from going to therapy.
The second example is showing that there was no research done and they are making a completely negative connotation and assumption based on what someone may or may not need. Basically making a choice for someone without actually knowing what they are talking about.
People who are going through depression don’t need someone telling them they “can’t” or “shouldn’t” do something. They need someone or something telling them or showing them that whatever method they choose to get help with is OK and acceptable.
Promote different options for them to get help such as:
- Therapy
- Medication
- Go to the gym
- Journal
- Use their faith
- Self care
There is no one “right” way to do things. There is only the way that works for you or that person in your life specifically. And it’s important to show that it is OK to get help, even if it is not what you believe personally.
Open conversations
Whether you or someone you know is dealing with depression, the first step to healing is admitting or recognizing that depression is present and needs to be fixed.
Having conversations that are open and safe is important to breaking the stigma around seeking help for depression.
These open conversations can help foster learning and growth about the subject at hand. It can help the person going through depression to express what they are going through or feeling, while the other listens and tries to learn and understand what the situation is.
This can also help both parties come to a solution about seeking help for the depression.
Depression is not something to be taken lightly, and neither is the help needed to get out of the depression.
As we talked about before, each person deals with depression differently and there is no one way to start the healing process.
Not everyone wants help for their depression, but it is important to do your research on how help can assist in the healing process and get rid of the stigma that “getting help for depression is bad.”
Us as humans don’t like to go through life alone, and in turn, don’t like to experience a lot alone, so getting help may be key to getting through depression and we need to make sure that people feel safe and secure enough to get the help they need to lead the life they want and deserve.