PsychSense: Sensible Psychological Solutions

I was reading about a suicide of a college student recently and when I read his friends description of his behavior it was clear that he had a major depression. I wondered if his friends did not recognize his depression or simply did not know what to do.

Some of the advice for helping a depressed friend goes something like:

• Listen
• Suggest professional help, facilitate an appointment and offer to go with the person.
• Have the person call a suicide hotline  or helpline

Although this is good advice, often with severely depressed persons these interventions are not enough.

If you believe someone is severely depressed what to do and they do not respond to the above ideas what do you do?

1. I suggest calling the police who will make a mental health arrest (if they feel it is warrented) and take the person for psychiatic evaluation. (although this may seem drastic and your friend may be initially be angry with you, this may save his life)
2. Consider an “intevention” using the model of AA. That is when  important people in the person’s life go together to see the friend and clearly and firmly express  their worries about the person who is depressed.  It is  critical to offer hope by clearly stating depression gets better with treatment (this is true) and sharing personal experiences and recovery if you are able. The person usually has a hard time believing depression will ever go away so it is critical to let them know otherwise. Have a plan (referral, visit to Emergency room) ready.

What is Depression?

People use the word depression loosely to mean a number of different moods. We use it when we are down about something going on in our lives, when we are grieving or just sad. I prefer to use the term “clinical depression” to distinguish these moods from the more serious type of depression that may need medication to relieve. Clinical depression is more than the “blues” or sadness. It is not something a person can “just get over” or talk themselves out of. Clinical depression is at least partially based on brain biochemical imbalance (we are still in early stages of understanding this) and often runs in families. Stress and psychological factors also play an important role, although we do not fully understand the causes and factors that result in clinical depression

Common symptoms of depression include:

• Sad or irritable mood
• Loss of interest / energy
• Poor or excessive sleep and appetite
• Difficulty with concentration and memory
• Physical complaints

Medication is often necessary in serious depression and MAY be helpful with less severe types.