Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:06 — 9.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS

Part of the fallout of the COVID pandemic is that more Americans are battling depression. But before we try to help a friend in the middle of the struggle, there are some things we need to know. 

“I think some of the common misunderstandings are that everyone experiences depression the same way or looks the same way when they have depression. Or that every person finds help in the same way,” says Dena Dyer, author of Wounded Women of the Bible and the recent Christianity Today blog post “Depression-Sufferers in Your Church Wish You Knew These Three Things.” 

Giving suggestions or remedies–or telling people to have more faith–isn’t helpful.  

“It creates some more shame and distance–that you’re not really trying to be empathetic, although you might be trying to give an answer,” she says. “What we really need is just empathy and understanding.” 

Instead take time to connect and listen. 

“Just reach out. Sometimes I think depressed people, we fall off of the–we fall off the grid, so to speak. We fall out of contact because we’re overwhelmed with depression. So, text us, reach out, offer to pray with us, or for us, not just, ‘Hey I’m going to pray for you,’ But ask, ‘How can I pray for you?’”    

And we can reach out even when following pandemic precautions.  

“Letters, cards, texts, a Zoom call. Have a real phone call–those are more rare now–anything like that just to say ‘I’m thinking of you. I care.’ Drop off a care package,” she suggests. “It means so much just to know someone is thinking of you in those specific ways.”

Learn more about Dena Dyer and her writing here.

Read her Christianity Today blog post “Depression-Sufferers in Your Church Wish You Knew These Three Things” here.