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Luba · 08-02-2005, 09:09 AM

Since I learned not to tell a friend suffering from depression "Snap out of it", "try this or do that" which she constantly hears from people, in other words, not giving any advice, just listening and not being judgemental at all, not telling stuff like "you look awful", "you lost weight", or other negative words she's been hearing, my friend has started opening up to me and I find that the things I'm hearing are frightening me and I don't know how to handle this and it's taking it's toll! This weekend it took all the will I had in me to phone and listen to the most terrifying sadness and debilitative state I have ever experienced in my life! I feel at the time she needs me most, I find I can't handle it anymore...what kind of a friend am I? Most everyone in her life has turned away, and I never, ever thought I would be like that, but it's happening and I don't want it to, but like I said, I'm very troubled about it so much so that it's on my mind the most these days.

Does anyone suffer from that kind of depression, or knows someone who is and how do you handle it for yourself so that you are not "pulled under" which is no help at all?

She is on medication, and the more she's given, the worse she feels. It doesn't seem to be helping her at all.

08-02-2005, 09:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
Luba Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 12,711	Understanding Depression Since I learned not to tell a friend suffering from depression "Snap out of it", "try this or do that" which she constantly hears from people, in other words, not giving any advice, just listening and not being judgemental at all, not telling stuff like "you look awful", "you lost weight", or other negative words she's been hearing, my friend has started opening up to me and I find that the things I'm hearing are frightening me and I don't know how to handle this and it's taking it's toll! This weekend it took all the will I had in me to phone and listen to the most terrifying sadness and debilitative state I have ever experienced in my life! I feel at the time she needs me most, I find I can't handle it anymore...what kind of a friend am I? Most everyone in her life has turned away, and I never, ever thought I would be like that, but it's happening and I don't want it to, but like I said, I'm very troubled about it so much so that it's on my mind the most these days. Does anyone suffer from that kind of depression, or knows someone who is and how do you handle it for yourself so that you are not "pulled under" which is no help at all? She is on medication, and the more she's given, the worse she feels. It doesn't seem to be helping her at all.