How to Deal With a Spouse Suffering From Depression

Depression is quite a common mental disease. Millions across the world suffer from it every year. Right from kids to grown ups and old aged people suffer from this mental illness. Women are more susceptible to depression. Anybody can suffer from depression be it you, or your loved ones or your spouse. If you find your spouse suffering from depression help him or her by getting proper treatment. Your spouse might be suffering from depression if you find following symptoms of depression in him/her:

1. Sadness, irritation or anger without any reason

2. You might find your spouse crying without any reason

3. Fatigue or loss of energy.

4. Poor concentration

5. Social withdrawal

6. Pain in the stomach or headache.

7. Sleeping problems, too much sleeping or too less sleeping

8. Negative thoughts.

9. Sexual rejection (in women) and erectile problems (in men), or excessive amount of sex.

10. Decreased interest in lively things such as, entertainment or to the activities that energies and refreshes.

11. The thoughts of worthlessness, helplessness and hopelessness.

12. Suicidal thoughts are also one of the common symptoms.

If you find your spouse suffering from any of the 5 to 6 above listed symptoms for continuous two weeks or more, then you need to take a serious action, because these symptoms lead to depression. You need to be extra attentive to deal with your spouse suffering from depression. Following are the things that you need to follow:

1. Make sure you do not get frustrated with the behavior of your spouse, as depressed people might come up with things that do not please you.

2. Do not feel ignored, as a depressed person hardly talks and interacts with others.

3. Do not fight with depressed spouse, as it will only cause depression to be more severe.

4. Monitor all the activities of your spouse as the suicidal rates because of depression are going high.

5. Try to engage your spouse in social activities or enjoyable activities.

6. Take your spouse to movies or amusement parks to divert his or her attention.

7. Look for the proper treatment, various treatment methods of depression are available such as Medication, Psychotherapy, combination of medication and psychotherapy, Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) etc. Just consult with specialists and go for the proper treatment. Make sure you do not delay, if left untreated or not treated timely; your spouse may face adverse affects of depression.

8. From your end make sure your spouse does not take alcohol as an antidepressant. It has been observed that most of the people find alcohol as a stress buster or depression buster, depression does go away for few hours as long as the person is drunk, but once the person is out of the influence of alcohol he comes back to same or even more dangerous state of depression.

Your spouse needs your love the most when he or she is depressed. Make sure you do not get irritated with the behavior of your spouse. Seek the proper help for your depressed spouse.