List2: Best Things to Say to Someone Who Is Depressed
[N.B.] I am not and have not been diagnosed as clinically depressed however this list (as well as the following one on the worst things to say) is quite interesting and enlightening. It is mainly common sense (although it can appear to be exaggerated and cheesy) and in a way these lists aren’t only adequate for people suffering from depression.
http://velvetdragon.com/mentalhealth/best.html
{Taken from the alt.support.depression newsgroup. You can find it in various incarnations across the net.}
1. “I love you!”
2. “I Care”
3. “You’re not alone in this”
4. “I’m not going to leave/abandon you”
5. “Do you want a hug?”
6. “I love you [if you mean it].”
7. “It will pass, we can ride it out together.”
8. “When all this is over, I’ll still be here [if you mean it] and so will you.”
9. “Don’t say anything, just hold my hand and listen while I cry.”
10. “All I want to do is give you a hug and a shoulder to cry on..”
11. “Hey, you’re not crazy!”
12. “May the strength of the past reflect in your future.”
13. “God does not play dice with the universe.” — A. Einstein
14. “A miracle is simply a do-it-yourself project.” — S. Leek
15. “We are not primarily on earth to see through one another, but to see one another through” — from someone’s sig
16. “If the human brain were simple enough to understand, we’d be too simple to understand it.” — a codeveloper of Prozac, quoted from “Listening to Prozac”
17. “You have so many extraordinary gifts — how can you expect to live an ordinary life?” — from the movie “Little Women” (Marmee to Jo)
18. “I understand your pain and I empathize”
19. “I’m sorry you’re in so much pain. I am not going to leave you. I am going to take care of myself so you don’t need to worry that your pain might hurt me.”
20. “I listen to you talk about it, and I can’t imagine what it’s like for you. I just can’t imagine how hard it must be.”
21. “I can’t really fully understand what you are feeling, but I can offer my compassion.”
22. “You are important to me.”
23. “If you need a friend….. [and mean it]”
24. “I’ll stick with you no matter what.” [Don’t go back on this. It’s a betrayal.]
25. “I like/love *all* of you.”
INCONSISTENT REPOSITORY 