Anne’s comment:
In addition to all the excellent points made by the authors in response to this question, the small daily gestures of support are so important. Being patient, not taking irritable behavior to heart, maintaining a positive attitude instead of mirroring a negative one, and seeking therapy for yourself when you feel overwhelmed by the demands of caring for your sick partner or child are things you can do to create a healing environment.
All family members living with a depressed person are affected in some manner, and it helps to recognize the effects and address them with professional guidance.
Anthony’s comment:
1) Listen, 2) contact the proper mental health professional, and 3) stay with your family member if you think he or she is suicidal. You may have to step away from the situation for awhile once you have gone through these three steps, because ultimately, as with any medical condition, your family member will need to seek assistance on his or her own.
Helping your family member seek treatment is one of the more important ways to assist. Many individuals have difficulty taking the first step of making an appointment with a mental health practitioner. If the person is already in treatment, helping him or her remember the appointments and providing encouragement to stay in treatment is of tremendous help.
Accompanying your family member to any appointments to provide feedback to the clinician can be of help, because some depressed persons have difficulty noting either improvements or setbacks in their condition. If on medication, assistance and reminders to take medication are useful, because a lack in adherence with medication is a common reason for relapse. If there is reason to believe that someone is suicidal, it is critical to seek assistance as soon as possible.
If a depressed family member refuses to get assistance, it is prudent to call the local authorities, such as emergency medical services, to have the individual evaluated in the emergency room setting. Although this option is not always well received by the person involved, it is the best and may be the only choice if someone is at risk for killing himself or herself.