How To Motivate Someone Who Is Depressed

Depression is a serious mental disorder that can affect people of any age, gender, or ethnicity.

It is often misunderstood and those who are depressed may not want to open up about it because they think they will be judged.

There are many ways you can help someone who feels this way, but one of the most important things you can do is listen to them without judgment and offer your support as well as understanding.

In this article, We will walk you through various ways that can help motivate them and keep their depression from getting worse. Let’s get started!

How To Motivate Someone Who is Depressed

Bring them out for a walk or exercise: Exercising is one of the best ways to combat depression. It causes the brain to release endorphin, which is a chemical that enhances your mood and relieves tension. It also allows you to take your focus off of negative thoughts and place it on something positive. It can help a person who is depressed feel better about themselves and their life overall.
Make them a meal: For those who are struggling with depression, simply going to the grocery store or going out to eat can be difficult because of their lack of motivation and energy levels. A great way to make them feel better about themselves and take their focus off of their depression is to make them a good meal. Reach out and ask them what types of food they like, then go pick up the ingredients or cook it for them so it’s ready when they get home from work.
Offer to give back rubs: Back rubs are great ways to help someone relax. They can also be helpful in relieving stress and pain. If you are close with the person who is depressed, offer them a back rub their back. You can also offer to give foot massages or hand massages if they prefer that type of touch over a back massage.
Keep in touch with them: Depression can cause someone to want to push people away out of fear that they will only bring more pain and stress into their life. This is completely normal because when you are depressed, you need your space and time alone. However, if the person who feels this way has close friends or family members who are trying to help them out, they’re more likely to start pulling away. It is important that you try to avoid taking their distance personally and continue reaching out. They need their friends and people in their life now more than ever.
Help them find new hobbies or Interests: As most will know, depression can often cause someone to withdraw from society and isolate themselves from everything. Hobbies and interests help improve self-esteem and personal strength, which can both be positive effects of overcoming depression. This can also help them feel more connected to their community or friends because they will have something that they are excited about on a regular basis.
Talk to them about their positive traits: Along with encouraging a depressed person to branch out and try new things, you should also continuously remind them of the good qualities that they have. Depression often weakens a person’s inner-self confidence, so it is vital that someone in their life reminds them why they are special. It is also important that the person who is helping them out does not get annoyed if they don’t believe what you are saying. If this happens, just ignore it and continue to tell them why they’re a great person!
Take them on a trip or spend time with them: Sometimes depression can cause people to have a hard time just getting out of bed. They may feel that they have no interest in going outside or doing anything other than laying around. For those who are struggling with this, taking them on a trip somewhere is a good way to get their mind off of their depression and give them something to look forward to. It might also be good to plan something at their house where you can hang out. This will make them feel more comfortable because they are in a familiar setting.
Remind them of all the things they have accomplished: Depression often causes people to think that their life is worthless and that everything they do is meaningless. You can help them get rid of this mindset by reminding them of all the accomplishments that they have completed in their life, no matter how big or small.
Help them to schedule out their time: For a person who is depressed, it can be hard to get themself up and going each day to complete the simplest tasks. As a result, this can put them in a bad mood because their schedule is so unfulfilling and mundane. In order to help bolster their mood, you should offer to help them set out a schedule so they have something interesting/fun to do each day of the week.
Remind them of their favorite things about life: Depression can cause people to become so focused on the negatives in their life that they forget what makes life worth living. It is important that you remind them of the positive things that are constantly happening around them but don’t force it if they’re having a bad day.
Give them a fresh start and let go of the past: If you and your loved one were fighting before they became depressed, now is an excellent time to apologize for what happened. For those who are depressed, it is important that they know how much you care about them and how much you want to help them start fresh.
Take time each day to listen: You should always be there for your friend or family member when they are depressed. This means that on top of offering advice, you should make sure that they know they can talk to you if they need someone to listen to them.
Offer to go with them on social outings: If you notice that your friend or family member is struggling when they are out in public, volunteer to go with them next time so they don’t feel uncomfortable by themselves. This will give them the opportunity to be around other people and engage in conversation without the mental barrier that comes from being alone.
Help them feel more comfortable in social settings by encouraging them to talk about themselves: Sometimes people who are depressed will become withdrawn and avoid talking because they don’t want others to know what is going on with them. You can help this person feel more at ease by encouraging them to talk about themselves and offering them positive feedback when they do.
Remind your friend/family member that depression is not their fault (and it’s also not yours): People who are depressed often think that their behavior and attitude is a result of something they did wrong or some bad decision they made, but this is not the case. Depression is a serious illness that affects many people in different ways, and it can come out of nowhere to take full control of your life.
Encourage them to take care of themselves: Since depression saps people’s motivation so they are less likely to keep up with daily activities, you should take it upon yourself to remind them when it’s time for them to eat, sleep, and bathe.
Help your friend or family member set a routine: Depression can lead people in a downward spiral where they have no motivation to do anything. In order to help stop this from happening, you should encourage your friend or family member to set a routine that they can follow.
Offer to help them with their daily tasks/chores: It’s possible that depression is making it difficult for your loved one to complete simple everyday tasks like doing the dishes, laundry, and cleaning up after themselves. You should offer to help them complete these tasks so they feel less overwhelmed and have more spare time to focus on getting better.
Encourage them to join a group or activity that engages their interests: Depression saps a person’s motivation, making it hard for them to do things that used to bring them joy. You can help improve their mood by encouraging them to join a group or activity that engages their interests.
Remind your friend/family member that they are loved and cared for: People who suffer from depression often feel as though they are alone in the world and nobody cares about them and You should make it clear to them that this is not true and that their loved ones care about them and want to help them get better.
Encourage your friend or family member to seek professional help if necessary: If you notice that the tips mentioned above are not producing any results, you should encourage your loved one to talk to a doctor about their depression. Many people fear going to a doctor, thinking that they will be judged or scolded for their condition. However, a doctor is trained to help people with medical issues and knows how to provide professional advice on how to get better.