DEPRESSION
...IMIZES THE DEPRESSED PERSON'S EXPERIENCE AND IMPLIES THAT IF HE WERE STRONGER WILLED, HE WOULD BE WELL. I HAVE BEEN CLINICALLY DEPRESSED, AND I KNOW THAT IF ALL IT TOOK WAS WANTING TO GET BETTER, NO ONE WOULD EVER BE TRULY DEPREDDED. ALTHOUGH TRAUMATIC OR STRESSFUL EVENTS MAY MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL MORE VULNERABLE TO DEPRESSION, IT IS NOT THE EVENTS THAT MUST BE OVERCOME. THE BEST INTERVENTION BEGINS WITH AN HONEST ASSESSMENT OF THE DEPRESSED PERSON'S THOUGHTS AND INTENTS ABOUT SELF-HARM. SIMPLY ASKING THE PERSON IF HE OR SHE HAS ANY THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE OR SELF-HARM CREATES AN OPEN, HONEST DIALOGUE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO OFFER ACCEPTANCE TO THE PERSON'S THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS WITHOUT CONDONING SUICIDE AS A OPTION. EMPATHY CAN BE AFFIRMING AND COMFORTING TO THE PERSON. ASSURING THAT YOU WILL ASSIST THE PERSON TO GET HELP AND WORK TO KEEP YOUR FRIEND SAFE FROM ACTING UPON SUICIDAL THOUGHTS ARE POWERFUL INTERVENTIONS IN SUICIDE PREVENTION. DEPRESSIO...