JustGettingBy Posted September 23, 2015 Posted September 23, 2015 I would like it noted first that I am aware that I'm over simplifying the issue, and its so that my post isn't a super-long wall of text nobody would ever read. So long story short: a friend who I've been close with for about a decade has recently begun to suffer from depression, and as far as I know, the only way he's trying to treat it is using anti-depressants. Something that I'm not sure he realises is that his lifestyle (not social very often, lots of sedentary time indoors, irregular sleep, diet high in fast food and similar foods) is the perfect environment for depression to start. I'm not sure if: 1) He has been trying at all to reverse this (although it seems unlikely simply due to depression often exaggerating these traits in people) and 2) How to and even if I should tell him his lifestyle is likely, at least partially to blame. I know that its best to find a middle point between the two extremes of "not caring and doing nothing" and on the other end "overstepping my boundaries and being controlling". I also know for a fact that I have a hard time describing these in a way that makes it not sound like the fault of the person on the other end, I know that having my message misinterpreted as "you brought this on yourself" would only make things worse. It is also worth noting that I have been directly affected by more minor mental illness myself (although nothing this extreme) and that some of our mutual friends have also been affected including one who has attempted suicide multiple times. Any help would be appreciated.
d0nnivain Posted September 23, 2015 Posted September 23, 2015 Telling him that his lifestyle is contributing to his problem will make things worse. Instead make a decided effort to get him up & out . . . take a walk, go to a movie, take him to Church. Send him a quick note every so often so he knows somebody cares.
Author JustGettingBy Posted September 25, 2015 Author Posted September 25, 2015 Telling him that his lifestyle is contributing to his problem will make things worse. Instead make a decided effort to get him up & out . . . take a walk, go to a movie, take him to Church. Send him a quick note every so often so he knows somebody cares. Thanks for the tip. I'll try to arrange a hangout with him soon.
Recommended Posts