A great misconception about recovery from depression is that all someone needs is a little cheering up. As the loved ones of someone who is living with depression, we want to find a way to make any kind of suffering stop. Where there is sadness, we want to bring happiness. Where there is hopelessness, we want to ignite hope. Our loved ones with depression want these things as well. However, depression is not so easily reversed. If depression symptoms could be so simply reversed, people wouldn’t have the chronic struggles that they do. Giving a gift to try and ‘cure’ someone’s depression might be given with the most authentic of best intentions, but come across with the wrong message.
Recovery from depression includes needing to develop a radical acceptance in order to compassionately meet oneself where they are. Depression happens and sometimes the symptoms cannot be helped. Gifts that suggest someone should be or feel a different way can be offensive and lack the encouragement they need to persevere in their recovery. Instead, look for gifts that acknowledge and validate the experience of depression while offering support.
Each person who experiences depression experiences it differently. They will also have unique likes, dislikes, and preferences which are particular to their personality. Mental health disorders like depression are not a blanketed experience and the treatment is not blanketed either. There may be some gift ideas that could generally fit the needs of many depression symptoms.
Comfort items for especially hard days when all your loved one wants is to cozy up.Self-care items in a favorite scent to inspire good hygiene practices.Digital gift cards to download soothing music or favorite movies.Personalized gifts which offer loving reminders of how cared for your loved one is.Favorite books by favorite authors or within favorite genres.Gift cards for restaurants, grocery stores, or delivery services for days when cooking is too hard.Devices to make cooking at home easier.Thoughtful items like lip balm, water bottles, tea mugs, or other things that help ease the effect of side effects of medications.
Depression can be the result of, or co-occurring with trauma. If you are experiencing severe depression and are looking for treatment, call The Guest House Ocala today. There are many treatments available that have been proven to put depression into remission. Call us today for information on our private residential treatment programs: 1-855-483-7800