What To Do When My Husband Is Depressed

Depression is real. When left untreated, it can bring serious, irreversible consequences that can damage you and your family. Perhaps there is someone in your home who is depressed, and you’re not sure what to do about it. It can leave you wondering, “What to do when my husband is depressed?” or “What to do if my wife is depressed?” Perhaps it’s not your spouse, it may even be your child or another family member. For this post, we will focus on what to do if your spouse has depression.

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The truth about depression

Depression is a mental illness. It isn’t just the feeling of being sad, in the dumps, or being under the weather. It is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain that is caused by a lot of things. Here are some of the signs that someone you love might be depressed:

• Your spouse doesn’t feel motivated to do daily tasks anymore
• There is a sudden change in personality
• They look unkempt, and personal hygiene seems to be neglected
• They are not performing well with their jobs
• Your spouse may look aggravated, anxious, or easily irritated
• They might be having suicidal thoughts

If you or your loved one are having thoughts of suicide or having ideas of taking one’s life, do not take this as a joke–consider it serious. Get help right away. Here are some resources to help out. Your decision could save someone’s life.

Changing one’s habits to change depression

If there’s no urgent need, and your partner may be experiencing continuous bouts of depression, there’s something that may help them out.

There’s a program called “Delete Depression” which gives insider hacks to help the brain send the favorable neurotransmitters, which natural supplements to use, and what mindsets to take when dealing with depression. You can check it out for yourself and see if you or your spouse can benefit from it like many other depression sufferers.

Other than that, here are some practical pieces of advice that can help you deal as you ask the question, “What to do when my husband is depressed”.

What to do when my husband is depressed: 5 things to do

understand the signs of depression

The first things you have to do is understand the signs of depression. You know your husband best. Sometimes, depression can have triggers, but in other instances, they may not. So, it is better to look at the signs of depression that they may have. In general, those who suffer from this condition may:

• Have a general lack of interest in life
• Inability to do daily tasks
• Share thoughts of anxiety and sadness
• Wanting to be isolated

In some instances, there is also what we call “high-functioning” depression where people hide their condition to avoid others from worrying. If something is up, trust your instincts and look out for these depression signs.

Featured book of the week:

The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time

Depression can feel like a downward spiral, pulling you into a vortex of sadness, fatigue, and apathy. In The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the intricate brain processes that cause depression and offers a practical and effective approach to getting better. Available in Amazon.

Acknowledge the condition

The worst thing to say to someone who is depressed are words in the likes of “shake it off”, “don’t be sad”, or “be happy”. Remember–depression is an actual illness. It isn’t just a random mood swing.

When someone is physically sick, you don’t say “stop coughing”, or “stop creating drama”. This is because the condition can’t be helped. Acknowledging and understanding that your loved one is depressed may be the first step in opening them up to get help.

Saying that they don’t have depression or they’re just plain sad may make the situation worse and invalidate what’s going on in their minds. This may even be a trigger for self-harming tendencies.

extend your patience

Perhaps you’re on your wit’s end trying to figure out your thoughts, thinking about “what to do when my husband is depressed”. The best way to deal with this is to really, truthfully, extend your patience.

There will be times that they don’t want to talk to you, and that’s fine–but make sure to tell them that you’re there whenever they are willing already. There will be instances where they say things that could hurt–and that’s okay. Sometimes, you just have to understand that the pain is just too great for them to bear, and it’s their way of coping.

Be patient, and when I say patient, be extra patient–especially towards those who suffer from mental health problems.

get help when needed

The help you seek depends on your husband’s condition. For example, if they are suffering from depression due to substance abuse, you may want to look into rehabilitation centers that can help.

If they are suffering from a specific loss, such as that of another loved one, it can be best to find a therapist or counselor to help deal with grief. I recommend a website called 7 cups, that could help people get started on finding counselors and even listeners for free.

Pray for and with your spouse

Notice that I separated these two small words, “for” and “with” because it makes a difference. A lot of women are feeling lost because they are wondering about “what to do when my husband is depressed”.

Thus, I will be sharing my insight on the importance of prayer in your spouse’s healing. I am in no way enforcing my religious beliefs, but this is something based on my experience. At some point when my husband and I were staying in Alaska, I had a bout of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It was what the acronym suggests–I was SAD! The lack of sunny days would sometimes bring me intense feelings of sadness that I couldn’t understand. I would cry about random things, and there were instances where I questioned my self-worth. A lot of people told me that it was indeed because of the weather.

To get rid of the condition, I started by praying to God and praying with my husband. I kept myself busy and started doing freelance work during the winter to help me stay motivated and get rid of my depression. Indeed, God opened doors for me and helped me recover until the sunny days were closer. Here’s a verse that states the importance of prayer:

The Bible is full of constant reminders that God is always listening to the prayers of the righteous, those people who trust in Him. As we lay our requests to God, we can be assured that He will help us get through our problems.

What to do when my husband is depressed: delete depression now!

Depression is a brain chemistry disorder, and there is a complete guide that can help you develop a strategy to eradicate depression once and for all.

Just look into the “Delete Depression” guide, as this tackles all you need to know that may help you out.

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