At The Self Image Institute, we know that life can sometimes get the better of us. Whilst it is very important to consider our own mental health, we should also look out for our loved ones. Our loved ones can experience mental health issues such as depression and it is important to make sure they know we are there to support them. Read our blog to see how you can support a partner with depression or contact us today to learn more about our hypnotherapy services.
Understanding Your Partner's Depression
First and foremost, it is important to understand what your partner is feeling and trying to understand why. Depression can be caused by a whole host of things, so it is important to try and get to the root cause. This can be a difficult task, but talking openly and honestly is key. Once you understand what is causing the depression, you can start to look at ways to help. Understanding how depression affects your partner can be key to building a healthy, supportive relationship that supports both people’s mental wellbeing. Whilst you may not have all the answers, showing your support for your partner suffering with depression is the first step we can take to combat it.
Depression can cause people to withdraw, behave differently or become more irritable. Common symptoms include insomnia, feelings of worthlessness and loss of interest in activities. It can even lead to physical aches and pains. It is important to avoid getting frustrated by this behaviour as it is usually a symptom of the illness and not a personal choice.
Helping Your Partner Cope with Depression
Once you have a good understanding of your partner’s depression, there are lots of things you can do to help them cope. It is important to remember that everyone is different and what works for one person might not work for another, so it is important to be patient and try different things until you find what works.
Show Your Support
This is the first step in helping a partner with depression. Showing them that they are not alone and that you are there to support them can make a world of difference. This could be anything from cooking dinner to taking the dog for a walk. It might even be just sitting and talking with them about their day. Just being there for them is often all it takes to show your partner that you care. Whilst this may not create any drastic change, showing your support for a partner with depression helps them to understand that they are not alone, helping them to begin their journey to better mental health.
Do Things You Enjoy Together
Depression can make people lose interest in the things they used to enjoy. This can be difficult to see but try not to take it personally. Instead, suggest doing something you both enjoy. This could be anything from going for a walk in nature to watching a film together. Doing things together can help create shared experiences and memories, giving you both something positive to focus on. The creation of positive memories and experiences helps to overcome the negative thoughts of self-worthlessness and depression. This provides your partner with positive and shared experiences to draw upon when feeling down.
Get Educated on Depression
If you want to help your partner with depression, it is important that you both understand the illness. This will help you to see things from their perspective and gain a better understanding of how to support them. It can also help you notice any changes in their behaviour or mood, so you can provide the appropriate level of support.
There are lots of resources available online or through books that can help educate you on depression. This will give you a greater insight into what your partner might be feeling as well as some tips on how to support them.
Encourage Them to Seek Help
If your partner is suffering from depression, it is important for them to seek help. Your partner may not want to seek professional health. However, encouragement from a loved one could help them to seek this help. This could be in the form of therapy, medication or both.
As much as you want to help, it is important to recognise when you need to step aside and let professionals take over. Often, all it takes is a little nudge in the right direction to get your partner the help they need.
This can sometimes be a difficult conversation, however, admitting when we are not ok is an important step in overcoming poor mental health.
Look After Yourself
Whilst we obviously care for those around us, it can be easy to ignore our own feelings. By considering and protecting our mental health, we can ensure that we are at our best and help those around us. It is important to open up about our own feelings to ensure that our mental health is as strong as it can be. We cannot support those around us if our mental health is suffering.
Final Thoughts
Supporting a partner with depression can be a challenging task. However, it is important to remember that you are not alone. There are lots of resources and support groups available to help you through this tough time. The most important thing you can do is show your partner that you care and be there for them when they need you.
Hypnotherapy for Depression
If you have a partner with depression or suffer from depression yourself, then hypnotherapy could be the solution. At The Self Image Institute, our hypnotherapy services help our clients overcome depression, anxiety and stress by helping to alter their way of thinking. We tackle the root of the issue and provide long-lasting results. If you would like to find out more about how we could help you, please contact us on 07534448713 or yasminswilliams@gmail.com.
Article: Phoenix Marketing
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