Geauga County Board of Mental Health & Recovery Services

Phone 440-285-2282 • Fax: 440-285-9617
Hearing Impaired 1-800-750-0750
24-Hour Emergency Hotline 1-888-285-5665
or 440-285-5665

My neighbor has depression. Can you tell me a little more about depression and how I might encourage her to get help?

Your friend doesn't seem the same. You thought it was the blues, but it's been going on for weeks. And it seems much worse than that. Could it be depression ? If you think someone close to you is depressed, urge him or her to see a doctor.

Depression is a disease. It's not being lazy, and you can't "just get over it."
Depression is very common and is nothing to be embarrassed about.
The best thing you can do for someone who has depression is to help him or her get treatment.
Don't ignore talk about suicide. Talk to a doctor, or call 911 or emergency help if needed.
Treatment works, and there are many choices in treatment. Many types of health practitioners can treat depression.
Depression can be caused by another medical problem. Treating the problem may stop the depression.

Depression is a disease. It's caused by changes in the chemicals in the brain. Depression isn't a character flaw, and it doesn't mean that the person is bad or weak. It doesn't mean that he or she is going crazy.
Depression causes a person to feel sad and hopeless much of the time. It's different from normal feelings of sadness, grief, or low energy. The person may lose interest in daily activities and may feel sad and grouchy for a long time. Other symptoms of depression include losing or gaining weight and always feeling tired.
Depression is common. Men and women of all ages, ethnic groups, and economic groups can have it. It often runs in families. But it also can happen to someone who doesn't have a family history of depression. A person can have depression one time or many times.

Medicines, counseling, and self-care can all help depression. Many people don't get help because they are embarrassed or think that they'll get over depression on their own. But most people need treatment to get better. Click here to finish this article.

This information has been provided by Network of Care. A comprehensive library of mental health and wellness articles are available through the Network of Care website. Click here to go to Network of Care.