text: what is the best advice you could give to someone who is depressed? this is an on-going depression that takes all of the interest and joy out of her life.  she is on anti-depressants and has tried most of them but they only work to a certain extent.  i hate to admit this person is me because i like to try to deny it and then maybe it won't be so bad.  but sometimes it is just too hard to ignore and takes over my life.  please, anyone who has some practical ideas, pass them on to me and i will be so grateful if anything helps.  thanks for your help. i don't know if this is the best advice, but realizing some of this helped me:  depression is a disease, much like diabetes or cancer. people have died as a result of their depression. my best friend was one of the unlucky ones. she took her own life because of it. just sitting back and hoping the drugs will make you all better is not a reality. you have to be committed to actively working on helping yourself get better- physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.  if you are feeling so bad that your world feels like it's crumbling or you want to commit suicide, do not hesitate to seek outside help from a therapist or other mental health worker.  often, friends and family just say " oh, snap out of it", or "just get out and do it" as a means of encouragement. these misguided phrases just reinforce the guilt and shame that something is wrong with you, that you are doing something wrong. not true. it's the illness. with the stigma mental illness has, someone who has never been truly depressed can never know how it feels when you stay in bed all day, wanting to go out and do things, but you just don't have the energy or the motivation. goals of going out for a jog or getting all your chores done are fine, but they can seem like mountains to someone who'se depressed. take baby steps. even if it's the goal of getting yourself out of bed and getting dressed. and once you do it, give yourself a huge pat on the back. because i've been there. and i know how hard it is.