Question: What do I do if a friend or family member appears to
be depressed? Answer: It is a very difficult and painful
scenario when a close friend or a family member is suffering
from depression and seems to not be taking steps to understand
what's going on or to get help. The first thing to do is to try
to speak as directly as possible with your friend or family
member about what you're observing and refer them to a trusted
medical professional or other trusted leader such as a clergyman
for discussion about the possibility of getting diagnosed and
treated for the condition. There are many support groups that
are available. Those can be found either by talking to a mental
health professional or looking on the internet for various
resources. The main thing is to not withdraw from the person who
you care about when they are depressed. People who are depressed
often say or act as though they don't want attention or any kind
of help. But that often turns out not to be the case and it can
be destructive to with