All of a sudden your best friend stops calling. She is no longer wants to join you for yoga on Saturday mornings. The last time you saw her she looked fragile and sad, like someone else was living in her body. Her husband doesn’t know what to do so he solicits your help in cheering her up.
Or maybe it’s your sister. She has been struggling with depression for a few months now. She’s been to a psychiatrist and is on an antidepressant, but she doesn’t seem to be making much progress.
What do you do?
I’ve been on the giving and the receiving end of kind-hearted attempts to lift depression more times than I’d like to count. While every case of this maddening mood disorder is unique and responds to different treatments, there are a few universal things you can try to guide your depressed friend or family member down the path of healing and recovery.
