In someone else

How to tell if someone else has depression

Just because we know someone well does not mean we will always notice when they have changed. Big changes or sudden ones are likely to be noticed, but if someone changes slowly it is easy to miss the change. Also, even people we know well (including those close to us) will not always reveal all their thoughts and feelings. Since we cannot expect to always realise that someone is depressed, we ought not feel guilty that we 'did not know'.

The sensible approach is to be aware that depression is not uncommon and what it is. Then, if you are worried that someone is depressed, the best thing to do is to talk to them about it and take them to see a mental health professional or suggest that they go.

For further information on depression see the following sections:

• Children
• A teenager or young adult
• Someone over 65 years of age
• Someone who has a medical illness
• Someone who is pregnant or a new mother