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You can recognize early signs of depression in a loved one often by seeing changes in their thinking and their behaving. So if you notice that a loved one is starting to become more pessimistic or negative, they’re talking about feeling like they’re a failure or they are letting other people down: these may be signs of depressive feelings. If you notice changes in behavior, particularly a tendency to isolate, not wanting to engage with things they used to like to do or be around people they love: these may also be early signs of depression. Changes in sleep, wanting to sleep more or sleep less, and changes in appetite (like eating a lot more or having no appetite) are also signs of depression. The best way to get someone help or intervene is to talk to them about their feelings and mention that you’ve noticed a change. Depression is real. It’s important to validate their feelings even if you do not understand why they are feeling this way. If you come to them with a compassionate stance, there’ll be more likely to be open to talking to someone and getting treatment to help them feel better.
