Sunny Health

The suicide of Robin Williams is an immeasurable loss to the entertainment world and all who look up to him, but on the bright side, it has encouraged more to discuss their struggles with depression, and for the sceptics to take it more seriously.

One can be identified to be depressed if he/she has lost interest in once pleasurable activities, and/or experiences feelings of hopelessness. But clinical depression manifests in different manners from person to person. Other common signs include:

- Lack of concentration or difficulty in doing tasks that were previously thought to be easy
- Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
- No appetite or can't stop eating
- More irritable, short-tempered and aggressive than usual
- Reckless behaviour
- Those who drink or smoke may indulge in these in greater frequency
- Thoughts that life is not worth living.

Depression often happens after a major setback in life, such as the loss of a loved one, being fired, losing (or fear of) bodily/vital functions as possibly in the case of Robin Williams who was revealed to have Parkinson's Disease, etc. However, depression can also be due to genetics, or seasonal changes in countries with four seasons.

Adding on to the complexity of this problem is that most people are not able to put themselves in the shoes of the depressed, even psychiatrists, if they have never suffered from depression before. Often, they tend to belittle the struggles of depression, and that is what makes depression overlooked.

Depression is sometimes also misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder, because there are times when the patient feels cheerful, and other times, absolutely down. While these are signs of bipolar, they are also perfectly normal in depression, as depressed people do not necessarily feel down all the time.

A depressed person, especially one with suicidal thoughts, is in a delicate state of mind. You can't regard them as a regular individual whining about life's hassles, because that is not what they are doing. Talking is not a means for them to let of steam, but a cry for help. Aside from ensuring that he/she is getting professional help and taking the necessary medicines, here are some things you can say or not say, to let them know that you care, even if you can't help them.

What to say: You’re not alone in this.
What NOT to say: There’s always someone worse off than you are.

What to say: You are important to me.
What NOT to say: No one ever said that life was fair.

What to say: Do you want a hug?
What NOT to say: Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

What to say: You are not going crazy.
What NOT to say: So you’re depressed. What's new?

What to say: We're here to help each other through difficult times.
What NOT to say: Try not to be so depressed.