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How to help a depressed friend.

1 in 4 of you will suffer from clinical depression at some point in your life. Many deal with it on a day by day basis, struggling to get up, get going, clean up, face life, face the world.  It’s not fun. I know.  Fortunately, my depression, though clinical is a result of Anxiety, which I am learning to manage.  Before I understand this, it was sometimes a challenge.  My sister said I was bi-polar.  Not!  I knew I had depression, but I didn’t know why and I knew that sometimes when I came out of it I was so happy and relieved that I did show signs of being on a manic high–shopping excessively, etc.  But it’s about Anxiety, a disorder I have suffered with since I was a child but didn’t understand it.  Now I do.  I feel it coming on and do whatever it takes to get away from it—call a friend, hang up on a phone call that is stressing me, I listen to EMDR tapes (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), I eat ice cream, I go for a walk, I borrow my daughter’s dog named Bear.  Whatever it takes!  I avoid stress that induces anxious feelings the same way a diabetic avoids sugar.

That said, many do not know they have clinical depression or understand.  It’s not easy to get out of it either.  If you or a loved one suffer–REACH OUT…go to a 12-step program like Emotions Anonymous or DDA (Dual Diagnosis Anonymous) to share and learn about it.  Or go to a therapist.  EA and DDA are “dollar therapy”.  They can help you find a therapist or give you someone to talk to that understands.

Whatever you do… do something… which is sometimes the hardest thing for someone to do who if suffering with clinical depression.