I have this friend here in Malaysia, suffering from depression for 9 years and counting
i think the world record for depression is 20 years if u try searching online.
Been to a few doctors already and under medication.

Anyone here suffer as long as this?

How do one knows if recover from depression? And ready to start again.

Nope. he didnt suffer from break up. Haha.

lol. find the roots of depression then you know the answer to his depression

what is your friend main diagnosis?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(mood)

basically, family support is very important. He got see other psychiatrist? As euphoria said...need to find the route cause of it. Hope ur friend get well soon.

tumpang thread :

the worst is when that person is ignorant and does not believe he is the cause of the problem. is there anything that can be done in this case? he is stubborn too doesnt listen to family member and stay away from them.

Try visit this site to get some guide http://www.depression-helper.com/depressioncure.htm

Get a pet dog.

Regards, Joey

Joey, he has many dogs in his house. many kinds. All expensive ones as well. rich family.

somehow, he didnt say why he depressed. until now everyone still guessing.

Started when studying overseas- start from loneliness i guess.

got see other psychiatrist- think he went 2 or 3 different ones already

This post has been edited by airline: Oct 12 2009, 01:35 PM

Then , prove to he that he is the cause . Show him some video or perhaps picture . If he still stubborn , let it be. That is he choice to be stubborn . =)

To the TS, you can't force your friend to be better. He has to want to get better.

Just be there for him. Don't coddle him but let him know you're there for help and support.

hang out more with friends
do silly things together.

Exercise to boost your happy hormones.
It increases endorphins like natural pain killers.

talk to me. all will be well

Yeah get a pet.

it is no ones fault that he is getting depressed. and whether is there a cause for him to have depression, it will only be the trigger factor and not the main cause. depression is a mood disorder and till now no specific study can tell where is the main pathology.

normally, they will feel loneliness, helpless, hopeless, loss of appetite, cant focus, cant concentrate. lost of interest. anti-social, insomnia, weight loss, dead wish, suicidial attempt, suicidial ideation, poor memory, being very negative thinking.

to help him, u got to know wat is depression. then, encourage him. do not force him. everything have to start slowly, be patience... talk to him, let him feel comfortable with u, encourage him to talk wat he feels, then slowly bring him out to the society. he might have public fear initially, but make sure u'll be there... let him know it is not his fault that he having depression and he shd be tough to look at his prob n face it. friends and familys member got to help him to face his prob... let him face the truth that he needs help. medication can booster his mood... so make sure he sees psychiatric... go for group therapy. do not let him suffer alone o...

there are groups around malaysia who willing to help him eg befrienders.org.my

all the best to your friend

that could be the main reason - studying overseas. perhaps he was hoping that he is staying at his own place, mixing with his usual group of friends, or maybe he was hoping for more care and love from his parents at that particular time. you see, some parent thought that by sending their children to the "best school" in whichever country is good for their children's future. but what their childrens want is some care and love from their parents, want their parent to stay by their side all the time.

just guessing though.

depression is a mental disorder that require the root cause to start "medication". without root cause, it's very hard.

probably can talk to his parents more. join more friends, go sports, take up some hobbies.

i disagree. it is his fault that he is depressed. its a state of mind. clearly he is depressed about something. whatever "something" is, if you can change it, great, then you won't be depressed anymore since its changed. if you can't change it, then you have to change the way you feel/think about "something". otherwise, you'll be depressed, unhappy, <insert other description as you like>

i think he's doing it on purpose, or he has a weak mind. pick one.

airline, your friend is far more lucky than others coz he is rich.
my friend who is also suffering from depression, can't even work coz depression affect his concentration and health. no stable income, worse.

I just hope that those who dont really know about depression, do try to give more
understanding to them, coz they wan to be happy, active and work like others too,
but it's not that easy. It's a physical illness too, not psychological only.
If one just have to be optimistic, change the way of thinking so easily, there won't
be so many depression patients out there.
It's not a 1 + 1 =2 easy case.
Do giv more support and patience to them coz they really suffer, feel useless and
guilty behind, alone.

well, if u r talking abt depress as a feeling.. yes it is his fault. but if u talking abt a mental disorder as in depressive disorder, it is not his fault. to be called depression, u got to fit in a certain criteria and a period of continuous 2 weeks feeling persistent low mood, sad and etc. i dun think it is easy to malinger it

yes, i agreed that there must be a 'something' that trigger them to become depress.. but then, it is a trigger factor n not the cause. cuz the cause is in them, n not the issue. some ppl are just more easily get depression compared to others. and depression can runs in family

and to help them, is to change their thinking and feeling like wat u said... that's why they need help, n concern.

i seen people in major depressive disorder. i have seen people with the whole hands of suicidal cut wound... i seen people died because they refuse to tell anyone their problem.

hang out more wth him. more activities together.

I really find this post rather insensitive. If a person is already mentally ill, trying to cope with the illness on his own is hard enough without being given cold shoulders and ignored by friends and family deeming this as a sign of weakness or an attention-seeking stunt.

I've gone through the Befrienders route and I'm not sure how they can help. Most of the times when you mention something, they will reply "that must have been tough on you" and ask you to "tell me more about it" which doesn't really make anyone feel better.