Hey guys, so I've recently been reading blogs about what not to say to someone who has depression but haven't really read anything about what TO say to someone who has depression.
I have a boyfriend who has it and was wondering if you may help me in what to say, how to support, etc. But mostly, what to actually say that you yourself have found helpful and encouraging and helped you to feel accepted, understood, valued, and loved.
Thanks so much
As someone who has suffered depression since i was a teenager i know that depression is a horrible affliction because we are surrounded by the loveless lies that our ill minds send us 24/7
The biggest thing missing in a depressed heart is; love for God, self or other; and secondly, truth about God, themselves and other other.
It wasn't till i internalised God's love for me and began to apply it to myself because i loved His truth more than my depressive lies that i started on my way to becoming stronger than depression could bring my way.
i let the truths of Scripture teach me in love and grace. For the first time in my life i put my faith in His love to guide me with His truth and He surely did.
So the truth of God, e.g His Word or good Creation understood in love for God, self and neighbour keeps us safe from the negativity of depression. Where rather than building our existential reality with sadness, guilt, shame, hopelessness, despair, inabilities and weaknesses and fear we build with God's truth in love, where Jesus' Spirit in us builds us loving, caring, sharing, protecting, kind, gentle, generous, hopeful, faithful and fearlessly strong to fight our bad life. It is absolutely marvellous to see Him do that.
So yes i still struggle with bouts of depression, yet Jesus saved my life from the pit and brought me my good life back, i can now survive biggest onslaught. So proud of Jesus for teaching me that faith in God's loving truth will certainly make us stronger than anything this mortal stage we're in can throw at us.
So yes love this person and tell him that the love of God can set him free from a depressive mind set. Also medication may well be needed if he has depressive illness, so please don't ignore the medial side of depression.
To God's Depressed Child,
To think less of yourself then God's own
Brings you much pain and suffering.
Your worth is an incredible high price
For you as well did Jesus die on the cross.
Depression is also what devil's lies brings inside
letting a low-self-esteem your good life rob
Untruths roaming freely through heart and mind
Evil lies extinguishing all happiness and fun.
His loving truth brings you His good life
While to believe lies brings pain and grief
So hold onto the promises Jesus made to you
and don't let Satan your good life squander.
Take hold of God's precious loving truth.
A life in Him stays safe from lies that hurt.
Jesus' truth will comfort your bleeding heart
Lovingly remaking your fallen life anew.