Motivational Tips On How to Help a Depressed Friend

Depression is defined as a psycho-neurotic disorder that can cause feelings of sadness, lethargy, lack of appetite and so many other aliments. This is a horrible emotional disorder to have to live with, and most people who live in a state of depression don't even realize they are depressed, until they are so overwhelmed with worry and sadness that they feel hopeless.

Below are some signs to pay attention too, if you suspect your friend might be suffering from depression.

• Lack of interests in things you know they would usually participate in
• They want to be left alone all the time and withdraw from their usual activities
• Weight-loss, or weight-gain
• Constant sadness, and crying
• Chronic worrying
• Inability to focus

If you notice your friend showing any of the signs above, they may be suffering from depression. The next step you will need to take now is to figure out how to help your friend cope with depression. Below are a couple of Motivational tips on how to help a depressed friend.

Warning!!!! I am not a Doctor, so the information I am providing is strictly from sources I have read and things I have done myself.

The first step you can take when helping your friend defeat depression is to have a good heart to heart with them, this way the two of you can get straight to the what the root of their problem may be. Even if they don't talk to you, always make sure to let them know how much they mean to you. Let them know how important the bond you two share is to you.

It may take quite a few tries before they are ready to talk about what has them depressed, but hopefully, eventually they will explain to you what has them down in the dumps.

Once you have finally gotten your friend to open up about what has been getting them so down and depressed, then you can start taking some steps to help motivate your friend into a more positive state of mind.

Laughter is one of the most effective tools for helping cure depression. So whenever the opportunity presents itself make your friend laugh. Tell funny jokes, or bring up funny things that have happen in their past.

Watch a couple of comedies with them, or read some funny articles. You could even watch some funny YouTube videos together, it doesn't matter what makes them laugh as long as they do.

Once your friend is in a much more positive spirit and out of her dark depression, you should start surrounding them with the positive influences of Mother Nature. There is no better motivational tool, than the free one God has provided.

Below are a few examples:

1. Go hiking

2. Go swimming in the lake

3. Go walking in a park

4. Plan a camping trip

5. Go surfing

6. Go for a walk on the beach

Nature provides so much beauty for us to experience, this can do so much for ones mental and emotional state.

Your friend is almost there, you should notice a lot more phone calls and laughter by now. That means it is time to start hanging around other positive people such as yourselves, to help keep your friends depression away. Hanging around positive people can help heal just about anybody. We feed off the energy of others so all their positive energy is absorbs by us, which helps put us in a much happier place.

Here is some places you should be able to spot some "Shiny Happy People" at.

1. An art museum

2. An aquarium

3. The library

4. A water-park

5. A Fitness center

Any place which requires a lot of concentration or energy is bound to have some happy people.

I am not a professional doctor of any kind and some people require that. So if you think your friend is too deep into their depression, please talk with someone who is a professional, they would know better than me, how to help your depressed friend.