LIFE

Lately you’ve noticed your BFF has been acting different and something is wrong but you just can’t point out if she’s depressed about something or not. We have all felt upset or down about something that caused us pain in our lives whether it was heartbreak or even how we feel about our bodies. But sometimes it's more serious and could be depression, a common medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, act and the way you think. Here are some common ways to know your bestie might be depressed.

She’s always sad or negative about things.
Every time you bring up something, it’s like she finds a way to make it seem gloomy or upsetting. She no longer enjoys your fave activities to do together. Even when you're grabbing Chipotle afterschool (your Thursday afternoon tradition!), she's not happy.

She lacks self-esteem.
This is a major one. Nobody is perfect and we all have flaws but your friend always picks at her faults and lets them get in the way of her wearing things she likes. Maybe she skips lunch all the time and always speaks on how fat she is but you feel looks perfectly fine.

She seems distant.
Perhaps you don’t hang out with your friend like you used to and you guys don’t message each other like before. You feel like your friendship is in trouble and barely know your friend anymore.

She’s always tired.
Lately, your bestie complains that she hasn’t been getting any sleep and can’t fall asleep at night for some reason. She has baggy eyes and seems to be falling asleep in class but you don’t know why.

If these symptoms describe your friend, don’t panic. Being there for your friend is all that matters at this point. Here are some ways to help. Get her alone and talk to her. Let her know she’s been different and you notice things aren’t all right.

Give her some space to come to you about it. Even if she might not speak to you immediately, let her know you are there for her when she’s ready to speak. It’s important that you listen and give her space to come to you when she’s ready.

Do some confidence boosting activities with her. It is important to make sure she isn’t always at home to wallow in her guilt. Do some of her favorite things with her. Exercise together! You guys can go to the mall, try on outfits and tell her how good she looks in them!

When things aren’t still going as planned. If things get worse and you aren’t sure of what she will do, it is best to take this to someone who has more authority than you. Maybe someone your friend looks up to, your school counselor or even her parents. She might be upset about it at first but it is important that you want what’s best for her.

Want to know more about depression? Here are some hotlines to call with useful information for you and your friend.

by Timi Awoyinka | 7/1/2017