I think we should not discriminate the person suffering from depression, but we should be uplifting and try to be more aware of what we say and not be so ignorant because sometimes when we unknowingly say something hurtful, the person may take it as a personal attack and then it would trigger some of the symptoms to start showing.

As a person who had been experiencing depression myself, it's important to educate society to understand than depression need medication just like influenza or asthma. We often taught that depressed people are them whom have weak mental. Depression could be treated by getting open and hearing their concern. Once people could talk about their situation and feel embraced by others, it's more likely they will seek professional treatment.

In my country, most people consider depression as weakness. I know in some cases patients are scolded by their parents and locked in their room. Sometimes even patients are not aware of their illness. A national campaign is necessary to improve the knowledge of depression about how serious it is, how to help people with depression and what the patients should do.
In regard to the development of social media, we can spread the campaign and the message to depressed people easily. By making them feel that we are trying to help may be a good way to improve the situation.

Respect my decision and those of others.

If depression is a "mental illness" why would neuroscientists research neuro/biological causes and treatments?
Ideal is integration and inclusion of depressed folks into the community. A community culture of compassion, empathy, respect, inclusion, engender self-empowerment.
Recognition that sense of belonging is innate human need; since depressed folks feel they don't 'fit' - eliminate judgment of another.
Walk in his shoes to get perspective. Find something positive in each person you find - and tell them. Best of all is to recruit into helping others - empowering to all parties.
One on one - share your own personal experience with challenges - consider a peer not a label.
Gving of yourself to others isn't a burden, it's a gift - confirms you have something valuable to contribute.

Claire, your point is critically important.
Seemingly benign comments can trigger those with post traumatic distress disorder to relive devastating traumas. I believe those PTSD events are relived at the emotional age the trauma(s) initially occurred.
Dysfunctional family targets, special ed kids, military and more

Spot on. You are a person, no less valuable than any other. You deserve to belong. You are not weak. You have courage to face challenges most stuff. Good for YOU!

Hi An,
Remember: Judgment, isolation, is not only ignorant, but abusive. Ostracism, isolating depressed folks dehumanizes them, exacerbates shame and guilt already felt. Humans innated strive to survive, not self-destruct. Behavioral research is readily available online. Search Roy Baumeister, Mark Leary, Vohs, Danny Khanemann, to learn motitvation of others and self, find strategies and coping mechanisms. Kip Williams' research on ostracism - social and relational is extraordinary.
Stop labeling yourself as patient, victim, helpless etc. - even though you may feel that way. In reality, you are a person with guts to stand up to challenge. Most don't.

I believe that one of the worst things to feed depression is other people, and the way it's fed isn't always with words, but with actions. The problems with this are that 1) we don't always recognize our own body language, and 2) body language speaks the truth. Even if we tell someone with depression or other mental illness that we care about them, love them, and want to help them, even if we talk openly about it, unless we as a society and people show them we care about them, it means nothing. So, I don't think the question should be focused as much on what we can do as it should be what we can become. Unless we all adopt a sense of fairness, love, and open-mindedness as a code of living, a way of life, our words and conscious actions will most likely be ineffective.

Hi Derek,
You make an excellent point regarding body language; lack of awareness of our own.
Often one who is depressed has poor self-presentation: missing teeth, emotional inability to smile and laugh, culturally inappropriate clothing etc. - cultural red flags which further distance inclusion.

The most important thing we can do to cope with depression is to increase the awareness in our society about it. in addition to diagnosis and treatment,we should know that offering emotional,support,understanding,patience, encouragement , talking, listening ,pointing out realities and hope are factors shorten the way for better cure.

I do agree with you that we are effective contributors in increasing or decreasing the symptoms of depression.

As a person who has seen relatives go through depression, I believe that we should treat them as regular people, as in the people we walk among regularly. But we should also know that they might be emotionally unstable therefore we must give the most support we can to them.

Tell the public about this and try to find someone who has it and help them throgh it. For example talk to them and make them feel welcome towards you.

I just have to tell all people who I know that all persons have sufferings and we just keep on trying do our best, laugh and live our lives as we want not as people want.

First, we need to understand depression and then we will be more understanding with those who are experiencing it. Lessons like this are a good beginning.

I have close friends and a family member who have suffered from depression for most of their lives. I feel that to be in contact, give support and to just be a shoulder to lean on could mean the difference between life and death.

I myself has had my share of times of severe depression! Do not isolate, if you know someone who you might feel is struggling take the time even if they say they are alright. Take the time and go and see them. get fresh air, get sunlight

Any feedback from Ted-Ed staff?

I think that there should be depression phone lines set up similar to suicide hotlines. This way a person can anonymously call the line and get some advice and/or help to make them feel better or get to a doctor that could help.

Yes, We can all contribute. Sensitivity, care and empathy are all ingrained in us all. These traits are part of our humanity. We can volunteer at schools, elderly care, hospitals, and Substance Use Disorder treatment facilities. There are people, who are all aruound us, hurt in the plain site. We have to sharpen our senses to listen with all our beings, with our inner ears, our hearts,and our intuition. We can find and connect with those who shout our from the bottom of their heart, asking for help, while no physical audible sound is heard. Start by volunteering. I will engrave this quote on my heart and souls as long as iI breathe -- it is one of the most beautiful sentiments, I have ever heard, "I'll hold onto hope for you, I'll give it back when are feeling better." ~Helen Farrell

Treat people with empathy and always follow the golden rule. Try to do something nice for somebody every day.

Always try to be understanding of what someone else is going through. Sometimes, we do not know how depression is affecting their lives and their ability to live.

We who have been medically diagnosed with depression have far to go to educate family, friends, our workplaces, our communities, and our world. Depression is a chronic disease, it is not an acute reaction, to a situation, that will end . If you know someone who wears glasses, would you tell them they don't need glasses, but need to see harder? Of course not. If you know someone with diabetes, would you tell them they didn't need insulin injections, just to concentrate harder to maintain their insulin levels? Of course not. If you know someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, would you tell them to remember harder? Of, course not. Yes, be there, gently offer support, listen without judgment, don't try to solve "the problem", be sympathetic, love us. You will get frustrated, angry, impatient with us and we will with you. Know that unless you also have been diagnosed with depression, no matter how hard you try, you don't know how it feels, and that is OK. We love you, too.

I agree, I think we need to be aware that depression is a disease and people with depression need medical help.

Well said David!!

Depression can show social weaknesses as well. Therefore, it is important to make the patient as much welcomed into the society as possible, so they would not have a feeling of not fitting in.

We can help people improve their quality of life with people who suffer from depression by just being a good listener. Although them talking about their struggles may not free them from depression's shackles but it can make them feel like they have a friend who cares about them. We could try to pick up on a couple of the symptoms and gently try to get them medical help. It is very important to do it gently because if you don’t then you might meet resistance. We don’t want them to feel guilty about their condition but we do want them to get help from a doctor.

I think the best way to do this is to understand, appreciate, and communicate that depression is a medical condition and should be treated as such.

I think it's really important to find a way to share one's own struggles with mental health in an effort to reduce the stigma associated with it and build more community interconnectedness. I also think it's helpful to know what resources there are in your community, and feel comfortable sharing your knowledge with others. Finally, I think it helps a lot to be present at community events - such as mental health awareness events - to show open support.

I believe that, at a community level, we all need to stop the stigma that depression naturally carries with it in today's society and impartially support people with depression - after all, it isn't their choice to have depression.

Open-mindedness and support for those afflicted.

I believe the best thing we can do its to demonstrate our support to mental illness. We underestimate mental illness, the best thing to do its to be awareness of the problem the many people suffer.

To improve their lives, I could be a friend and lend a helping hand.

Exercise, make real social networks(not digital) and keep in touch, increase public awareness, empathise with patients and develop support systems.

I am joining as a care group leader. It is totally the program that connect with young people. Prayer is the key in how we reduce depression. We often talk and share the burden and bring that into our prayer.

I am not sure if I have a role to play in this particular community need. I can always serve as an open mind and ear for anyone who wants to talk about it. I can touch base face to face with people, especially those who appear to be keeping to themselves or who look sad a lot. I hesitate to jump up and say, "Pick me, I can help in this way," simply because I do not have any training for such a role and I think training for this is important in case we say the wrong thing because we don't know any better. I would hate to start out trying to help and end up being somebody's trigger.

It's important to not judge people who have any type of mental illness. It is an illness and it won't go away just because you want it to. Encourage people to get help. Listen, ask questions, all without judgement.

As a middle school teacher, I play a role in accommodating students with depression and other disabilities. My hope is for not only increased awareness, but also early diagnosis and treatment. Middle school is hard enough socially, and when depression is in the mix, it can be devastating for the entire family.

Orientate people about the real concept of depression, let them know that it is a serious mental disturbance and people who sufer from it need help, compreension and medical treatment.

Be more open to share your feelings and to hear other people's feelings around you.

I imagine that speaking about the family circle,I could offer my shoulder and timeto arelative suffering it and in the community I could offer my help in a group related to it, but after some training, of course.

To promote activities that dilute the stigma againts mental disease will be a big change.

I can talk openly about depression and mental illness with friends, family, and community members to help destigmatize it. I can work with organizations, especially those who serve people suffering or at risk. I can be a sounding board for family members of depression sufferers and share resources with them.

In a country like India, people think of depression as a huge bane and at times even demean people suffering from it. So what we can do at a community level is organise events for people with depression where they can freely express their opinions and share what they feel. As mentioned in the video talking about it will really help and this is something that is really needed.

I think that people start to fall in depression a lot more now because they let what ever people say get to them. Maybe people should go around the community having talks with people on what to do or how to tell if they are going through depression because some people might not even know why they are felling that way.

I know in some cases patients are scolded by their parents and locked in their room. Sometimes even patients are not aware of their illness. A national campaign is necessary to improve the knowledge of depression about how serious it is, how to help people with depression and what the patients should do.
In regard to the development of social media, we can spread the campaign and the message to depressed people easily.

We shouldn't make people who suffer from depression feel different than anyone else. We should be supporting and make them feel accepting. Sometimes we say or do things that hurt them, so we need to be more aware of what we say and who's around us.

I think if we have open discussions with those who are suffering from depression, then we can help stop it. Also, if we ignore those that are depressed, we are not only no helping, but we are prolong the depression. If we educate the public on how to help those depressed, like making videos such as this, then we can make the world a better place. All in all, depression as an illness can and, hopefully, will be stopped.

I agree that a national campaign would be extremely helpful to raising awareness about depression. Also, if we raise awareness on social media more, then we can even further the campaign against depression.

In many countries around the world, depression is considered a weakness. And the worst part is, most people are not aware of their illness. Social media can make depression worse as well, by distinguishing people who have depression, making them feel trapped. What we can do as a community is raise awareness for depression, but as far as individuals are concerned. We each need to help the depressed have hope and not feel worthless, unlike we do now where we taunt them.

We think of developed countries like the US, Britain, Canada, and many others as safer than many of the undeveloped countries. This is not the case with depression however. Depression can affect anyone in any group or bracket. What's bad about our country, is we demonize depression, shunning all who have it. What we need to do as a community is each and everyone of us should help them get back on their feet, instead of what most do now.

It is possible to help the people in your community who suffer from depression. You can start by suggesting that they should visit a professional to find a treatment that is right for their particular needs. It is also important to let them know that you will support them in anyway it is necessary. Most of all it is important to make them understand that depression is a disease and not a mindset.

I agree, educating people about what depression is, is important. Taking about depression without a negative stigma will help people who do suffer be more confident in finding a doctor because they will not feel so ostracized.

Around the world, depression is considered a bad thing. Social media and neglect make depression worse and make poeple that have it feel ashamed and embarassed. I think if we talked about it and raise awareness for depression, we can help people through it. Unlike the neglect we have for it today.

I think there is a way we can help in our community. Even if the thing we do to help is a small donation of money to help find a cure for depression, or even just talking to someone that has depression to cheer them up. If we can help someone to see a doctor or therapist to help them with their depression then we have helped a little. We should not just assume that someone who actually has depression is just sad, we should talk to them and help them in anyway we can.

I agree with Jakob that in world today, we constantly use social media and that we always put people down, and insult them, instead we should be bringing people up and complementing them. We really do need to start help depressed people and help them feel wanted instead of discriminating them and making them feel worse.

I agree with Christian. We use social media and make insulting jokes about depression in inapropriate situations

Yes, I do believe there is a role in your community that you can make. One, you can advertise for a physiologist that can help people. Two, if you know anyone that has depression talk to them about hard topics about suicide and Self Harm. Three, make a list of places and doctors that, that person to go to and seek treatment.

Agreed. But we also need to physically help the person in the situation. Not just raise awareness.

Yes just getting the people with depression to go into the doctor and get help.Not only will it help them and the doctors find out more on depression. So they are helping more people than just themselves.

i agree with christen we are always on are phones and putting people down. Maybe if we didn't always put people down there would be fewer people getting depressed

We need to educate people about depression. From symptoms to what to do if you experience them we need people to know how to counter it/ cope with it. We should also help people through it when they are affected.

Yes, everyone can have a part in helping someone come out of depression. Being nicer and just listening to what that person has to say will improve their situation for the better. Volunteering and giving them someone to talk to is also a great ways of helping people with depression.

If you know someone has depression, you can try to help by calling a doctor or taking them to someone who can help. You would mainly want to watch them though in case they try to do something regrettable. The best way someone can help is to just be there and let them know someone cares.

I agree with this response because i think everyone can contribute something to this disorder even if its simply listening to them. Also i think that volunteering is a good option.

As a person I think we should help each other, does not matter what we are or were do we come from as our own differences. They say words are more powerful that if they punch you. So it would be better to think the actions as consequences that, that phrase or word would cause to the other individual. Words can change the world but it can also destroy people feelings as ideas about an specific thing. This is my way to change depression, by the power of the words that we use

I agree with you Cody. If people put someone down too much they could possibly get depression and start to believe what everyone is telling them.

if we talk to people with depression about going to get treatment they will more likely go get help. its nothing to be ashamed of, its an illness, it needs to be checked out. it can also help doctors under stand more about it

I think we should not make light of someone's depression. Some people say that it is just instant feeling and anyone can easily get over it. That makes people who are in depression feel ashamed and guilty. We should take this as a serious problem and do our best to help people who are suffering from depression.

Depression is very common in the U.S. Most people just ignore people with depression and don't help them. I think it is very possible to help. Help them through it and talk with them and maybe help them find a doctor and get medication for it

i agree with this. Help the person and help them find a doctor and get a treatment and let them know that you can help them.

It is possible for you to help your community, but it might be hard for someone that does not have depression understand people that do you have it. Depression can be caused from a lot of things like a death of a close friend or realtive or social media or bullying. You can help these people by letting them open up to you, so you can understand how they are really feeling. Then you can help them find help, by recommending them to a doctor or even a therapist.

I agree with this statement. Some people who are suffering in depression think that they can't get over depression because they are weak. It is important to encourage them that there is nothing wrong with them and they need medical treatment.

I believe there is some things you can do right in your community to help those who are suffering from depression. One way is by asking them if everything is okay if they look sad or not happy. Also just by letting them talk to you about his/ her problems and being understanding might help them realize there are some people to thats dealing with the same problems they are going through.

There are roles that you can play to help people with depression. One is that you can talk to them about it. Another one is that you can tell them about a doctor that is in that medical field.

We can help them to get help for their depression. We also can help just to keep them active and talk to them, because of the fact that the more people seek help the better understanding we will have of depression. Don't pressure them into doing things that they are unwilling to do because that could have a negative effect appose to a positive one.

People should be open to discussing their depression, and not be so harshly judged. If one has a friend suffering from any form of depression it would be best to help them seek help, or atleast talk to them. Consider saying good things to a person with depression to maybe boost their ego or lift their spirits.

I agree with this to. We should help them and suggest professional help if just talking isn't helping and let them know we are always here and make them feel comfortable and not ashamed.

I agree with Candance, you need to walk in their shoes to understand what they are going through. Also invite them to the parties or to get togethers, like how Candace said. I think it is important for you to understand what they are going through.

I agree with jake. It is nothing to be ashamed of. And you can also get doctors to talk to you about it.

I agree, if we can help them to find a doctor we can help tem to find the path out of depression along with finding a way to better help people with depression.

Hey Derek, you are very true when you say that the worst thing is to feed depression. We must take account of the words that are said because you'll never know what that person is going through or has gone through.

I could help people know that depression is not uncommon and that it is perfectly fine to get help. People could things on social media or hang posters around schools or buildings about the signs of depression and where they could get help. When we talk to people who we may think are depressed we could ease into the conversation. We need to make them feel safe and like their not being judged. We need to let them know that we are there to help and that depression is not a thing that you can just wish away. It as an actual medical problem.

The easiest way that everyone can improve the lives of those with not just depression, but all mental illnesses is to first destigmatize it. Often times, mental illnesses is seen either as a joke, a weakness, or an excuse. In the specific place of depression, one of the most effective ways to help a person is to be observant and try to talk about it. Helping a person make sense of what they're feeling, and validating and supporting them through their problems makes it easier for that person to get help. Raising awareness and educating people about depression in the community is also important if we want to improve the lives of those with depression.

I agree with An Gia. There are a lot of places in the U.S. and in the rest of the world where people don't know that being depressed is a medical issue. They need to know that depression does not make you any less of a person and that it should be okay to be open about depression and that they deserve to get the help they need.

I think we need to find out more about it. If we know someone in our society that is suffering we should consulate them about it. We need to help reduce this as much as possible. This would help the people that are suffering and the families of the sufferer.

I think that a good way to try and cure it, is to do it natrually. Such as a nice vacation or going somewhere fun so that the person cannot think of anything bad.

I agree. There is a lot of hate towards people with depression and it makes them feel even worse. People shoudn't do that because it is a medical problem, and not just someones personality.

I think you are completely correct. It is our job to help those in our community and this would help us and the person that we are assisting.

I agree completely David. Too often is depression seen as a passing issue that can be fixed by "thinking positively" when in reality it is a complex and chronic disease that people have to bear with constantly. Like you said, people shouldn't judge, and should be open-minded.

People are definitely able to help people who are depressed in many ways. Not judging is very important, as is the realization that depression isn't a character trait, it is a mental illness. Helping depressed people cope with their problems by talking about depression with them is another way to help. Finally, seek psychiatric help for the person with depression and encourage them to seek help as well.

Also, being a kind person and having genuine concern about that person's own wellbeing can be a major part of his/her recovery. Depression is a lot of things but death should never be the outcome.

If you see someone who you believe is suffering from depression you should bring it up gently with them to help them cope and to help them to seek help as well. Being a person who can just listen to someone's problems is also helpful to those who may be suffering from depression. If you believe your friend is suicidal or are planning to commit suicide you should call and encourage them to call the suicide hotline and to seek immediate help. You should treat them as an equal, and not try to belittle their serious symptoms with your own experiences with sadness.

The more patients who seek treatment, the more research that can be done. Society can balance mandatory hospitalization with personal freedom by being more open and understanding with depression. The more people talk openly about depression and suicide, the less likely someone will **** themselves. As soon as society stops treating depression as something someone can just "get rid of", the less people would feel that suicide is the last opinion and they wouldn't have to have mandatory hospitalization. You can talk to your friend or family member about seeing a therapist and openly about depression altogether. You should NOT talk about your times of feeling "down" unless you have depression too because this could make them feel ashamed and guilty. Tell them it's a medical condition and its not a weakness or anything to be ashamed of and they shouldn't expect themselves to just get over it. Ask and talk to them about suicide.

Yes, there is a role I can play in my community to reduce the effects of depression. Depression is a serious medical condition that needs to be treated like a serious medical condition. If everyone in a community (including myself) helped people with depression understand that it is a serious problem perhaps there would be more awareness about depression. Also, helping people take the first steps toward therapy and other treatments could potentially save lives in many communities.

I completely agree with what you are saying and I too think that talking to people with depression about their illness can be a tremendous help. Also, raising awareness as you said is key to creating a community that understands and attempts to help people with depression.

I am diagnosed with clinical depression. I take medicine that is included in my ADHD medication, but now I sometimes forget I have depression. It is such a repressed feeling for me, and the meds work so well, and the help I've been given has affected me so much, that I don't need to thing negatively about life. So please, go see a doctor. It has changed my life for the better as I'm sure it will for you.

I agree with claire. The more you are uplifting and understanding to a person with depression, the more open they will be to you which will help them. If you are mean and hurtful to someone with depression they could go into the depression phase for TWO WEEKS. Be nice to everyone, especially if you know it will hurt them. You also don't know what is going on.

I agree with Gabby. People with depression are not people who are just down or sad. They have a true medical condition, which affects them and telling them to be happy will not make their mental disorder go away. Raising awareness will help others in the world who do not fully understand begin to comprehend that this doesn't always go away like a passing cloud.

I completely agree with Alex. Depression is a serious issue and we need to help the people who we know have depression. Also, we need to educate people about depression and raise awareness.

We need to support people with depression instead of put them down. By supporting them, we must understand that it is not something they can just brush aside, it is a mental illness. Being more cautious of the people around us and their feelings could help us improve the lives of people with depression. Volunteering, spending time, and showing that you care will be seen by those suffering and they will recognize that people are actively trying to help them.

Talking openly about depression is the first step. Depression should not be thought of as a controversial topic. It is a true medical condition. Secondly, do not compare your struggles and sadness to peoples' depression. They are NOT the same thing. That will only make a depressed person feel guilty about their illness. You could also offer support or suggestions for help.

I agree with Ray, community service is only a small amount of our time that we can use to help those who are silently suffering. Just the sight of us putting in effort to help them lone will bring them hope and let them know that we care.

I absolutely agree. People should know that people that suffer with depression cannot just 'snap themselves out'. We need to be understanding.

We can improve the quality of life for people with depression by simply treating them with respect and trying to understand their situation. Depression is a medical condition that should not be treated like a joke. You don't tell someone who broke their arm to get up and brush it off, so people with depression shouldn't be told that either. All you really have to do is respect other people's situations and do your best to make everyone feel accepted.

You can help someone you know is suffering from depression by letting them talk to you and making sure they know you care about them. You have to be understanding about the fact that it is not a choice just to stop being depressed, you have to work with them to overcome it. I know from personal experience that being able to talk to someone you trust is one of the best ways to combat depression. It is very hard to seek help if you are suffering from depression, it is much easier to talk to someone you trust. Especially if they promise not to take action on anything you tell them unless you ask them to.

I agree with Emily. You need to listen to other people and think about what they are going through. You also need to be supportive of those who are struggling.

I'm sure what you are saying is true about a doctor helping and I agree, but it is not easy to actually get help because you are worried about what people will think. It is so much easier to talk to someone you trust, such as a close friend. I believe that getting medical help and talking to a friend are both helpful, but sometimes you have to talk to someone for a while before getting medical help.

First, people can help raise money and awareness for depression because it is seriously undermined. We can also reach out to people we think have depression and do the things that this video said to do. I think what is most important is educating people about depression. Most people think that it can just be shunned away and ignored but it is a real disease with real consequences.

I think that talking about it can help some people, but for some people talking about themselves and their own problems can make them go deeper into their depression. I do agree that giving a person some options for their health is a good idea

We could help and care for people with depression by treating them with respect and doing our best to help them in little tasks. We should try to be more careful about what we say, not comparing it to things we without depression have felt, as this causes them more stress. We should also be careful that what we say does not offended them or make them feel worse in anyway. If we see someone who we believe is depressed or even suicidal, we should not freak out about it, but bring it up gently and encourage them to get help. Remember, this is a medical illness, not just an odd personality trait.

i agree with you, we should not see their illness as a joke, but we should try to help and encourage them as best we can. Their mental health is no laughing matter, as it will affect their everyday lives and relationships.

Depression is not taken seriously by many people and ta high number of people suffering from depression are disrespected for being different. As someone who has been around the effects of depression and having suffered through moderate depression myself i can personally say that it is a serious condition that people should pay attention to. The little things such as just checking in and making sure the person is okay or talking to them if they want to talk to someone, and just being there for that person make a huge difference. Depending on the severity of the said person depression, different approaches could be taken. But overall you can make help improve the quality of the persons life by spreading your happiness and it won't cure them but it makes their life a bit easier

I agree with you Laurel. It can cause the person more stress and make the situation worse when people who have not had depression try and relate, many people just want to know someone is there for them, not finding out the other person was upset at one point too. I also agree that people with depression should be treated with the same respect as everyone else and more people should be aware about the condition.

Yes, in fact there are a few different roles we can play. First, we can gently encourage those suffering with depression to seek help from a psychiatrist. Second, we can help them find a psychiatrist and the location of his or her office, making it easier for the person suffering to make a short trip there. We can also be open to discussion about their depression and make sure they know that they have someone to talk to about it.

I agree with Cindy, we should not openly talk about other people's depression. It is a private topic not to be openly discussed amongst our peers. We should make sure that those with depression know that it isn't easy to overcome what they are a feeling, and that the recovery process isn't in any way similar to that of a temporary illness.

Of course there is something you can do. If you know someone with depression, it is vital that you help them help themselves. Even helping them find local therapists can help improve their lives. This is very important, since most people with depression can take up to ten years to get help on their own.

I agree. However, it is important not to act as if you know how they feel. Depression is no ordinary sadness.

Yes, I think people can easily check in on how their neighbor is doing daily. In addition, being more respectful and treating those suffering from a condition well can benefit them. Moreover, making these people feel like they are wanted can really impact them. Also one can take steps in the direction of increasing awareness to depression in your community.

I agree, showing that you care can have a big impact on those suffering. Even better helping them get treated is important.

We need to help encourage the people in our community that are dealing with this. It is a lot easier for a friend to talk about their problem with another friend than seeking medical help right away.

Yes, I could be more open to talk to people with depression about it.

I agree with Hadyn because you need to be open about your medical conditions so you can seek help.

I know what you are trying to say, but I really think it would be more useful to tell someone or somebody and explain him what do you feel. This is a kind of help that they can receive but because we are afraid by whatever reasons we do not offer them our own time. I think we should help people without any kind of fair against them. people help other people is what we should encourage the newest generation for them to do.

I agree with you Kaitlin since it makes others feel better. Talking with someone about depression would make them feel more comfortable to deal with their problems with others.

yes there is. you can always talk to the close people to you. I think that people can help you go to therapy. i also think that people should encourage the depressed person to go see a doctor.

i agree with tussle people should be respectful of people. i also believe that you should check on your close fiends daily just to see how they are doing

There are ways to help somebody with depression. A couple are helping them get the proper treatment they need and being comforting. You can also make sure that if they're given medication that they take it properly.

I agree. Depression is a sensitive subject and should be handled with care.

I completely believe that you can play a big role in your community to help the levels of depression. Just be nice to people and have a smile on your face and say please and thank you. If anyone is having a bad day a see someone with a smile on your face and make your day.

I agree with russell

Makes fun events

A role that I can play in my community is to encourage board members and city leaders to petition to the state that we should be allotting more money to those who suffer from depression for their mental health care and this could be paid through taxes. I could also tell people they look nice or smile at someone or say hello if someone looks sad or as if they are depressed. This could really help them to feel better and brighten their day to some extent. It's also important to let the community around me know that depression is a medical condition and that often it requires treatment and that we should not judge people for this because it cannot just magically disappear and patients cannot just 'get over it'.

I think I will help them.A role that I can play in my community is to help them as possible as i can, such as talking with them, buying some gift for their birth

Treatment is all well and good i suppose but after many years 6 to 10 actually there is a trust issue now. i won't go into it here but out of the 7 plus billion people around me i trust maybe 5. not all the counselors know what they are doing i found this out the hard way.

Depression is uninvited and people should be aware of the fact that no single human is ever free from the stigma of depression and is liable to it at some or the other point in their life though it may not be clinically conditioned depression. Hereby, it is the right of an individual to have awareness on the consequences of depression and how there are certain ways it can be dealt with without forcing panic and anxiety, in a sophisticated manner.
Letting people know that having an open discussion on this particular matter will help them somehow or somewhere find their way back to their normal life, is likely to be massive encouragement to the people silently suffering from depression or people who are likely to suffer from depression.

As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety themselves, I think normalizing it would help. A lot of people feel that they are the only ones feeling this way and to tell people that it is ok to feel this way would help. I know sometimes I feel like I am the only person in the world who feels like this and then I start to talk to other people and realize I am not the only one.

i don't think there is much you can do, you offer help to anyone you know/think is suffering through depression. and thats about it, personally i have suffered from depression and its a crippling illness, that ruins lives and ruins all of yours social interaction if you don't get help at some point. i think there should be more available help, such as free therapy/ therapy groups and free mental health evaluatation, but as of now that doesn't seem possible, it seems like todays society has romanticized mental illness, or made it "pretty" to have an eating disorder or being depressed. so we all really need to work on getting this together and fixing our new and old stigmas around mental health and the way people are treating men and women with mental health issues, and that includes everyone one of them and that is this the biggest problem of todays society.

Hang out with them. Compliment the person and make them feel better about themselves. Make them feel like they are in a good environment.

I believe I speak for myself and many others who have at some point of time suffered from depression when I say that depression is a feeling which makes you think the worst about yourself; it's suffocating and utterly demotivating. I've seen people react very differently to the idea of depression, on one hand people think of it as a weakness, as if the person doesn't have any control on his/her mind; on the other hand people think that depression is a luxury that only people with brains or good relationships can afford, which seems absolutely crazy, as depression is a condition which can happen to anyone at any given place or time for any reason or absolutely no reason at all. As an individual I'd like to make an appeal to the society to broaden their narrow minds, to accept that depression is as normal an illness as diabetes and that it should encourage people suffering from depression to seek professional ***********. I hope that in the times to come, the society is more accepting.

I think the role I can play to help out is to go out of my way to greet others and maybe give compliments and also to get a focus group and some one on one sessions and get people to their happy place as a whole

I realize that people like me who are emotionally pathetic tend to not care, but I think it's important for everyone to adopt a lesser judgmental perspective. We may not be able to reach out to strangers easily, we can help them by changing the society, but as for our friends, what I believe I can do as an individual is make them feel loved, cared for and aware of their significance.

People often confuse depression with feeling sad.
However, it is not the same and it s very important to differentiate both concepts.
Having a fallen state of mind is common for varios reasons such as having a bad grade or having a discussion, on the other han depression is a mental illness that affects millions of people in the United Statesfor example 10% of the population is affected by this disorder.
There are several symptoms, such as apathy, los of interest in the things you like, poor performance, eating disorder, increase or decrease in sleep. It is important to identify these symptoms because if it posible to be diagnosed with disease.
In case of, it is necessary to seek help as son as posible.

do open chats about depression, or not maybe that specific topic, but things related to mental health, like anxiety and other mental disorders, also make people comprehend that mental illnesses are real not just things that people make up. People shouln't feel embaressed for talking about their mental illness.

I'm not sure of the question but I think we could try to think more about what we say in case we inadvertently say something that affects them, we could try to talk and be with them so that they are not alone and we could also try to know what happens to them and if we can help them do something, another option would be to recommend professional help.

I think depression should be recognized not as a serious disease in our country but as a disease that can easily come to anyone. I also think patients should understand and empathize with depression, rather than accuse themselves of having problems. Finally, I think emotional support is needed to prevent depressed people from committing suicide.

Yes there is a role that i can play at my community level to help improve the quality of lives for people with depression. One thing that I can do is create a website about depression to inform my community of what depression is and what it is like to have it so that way the people who do have depression do not get ignored.

I agree with you because I feel like people with depression are often forgotten about by the public and society and people who do not have depression need to be educated on what having depression is like.

I agree with you because I know people who have and are suffering with depression and they often do not like the attention from people but also need to be treated for their depression.

We have a lot of terrible experience in life. Also, we have a lot of anxiety and worried thought. However, we always bottle things up. By bottling things up, mental distress can get much worse. We have to know about depression and figure out it.

I think we should educate more people about depression so they know they are not alone and it is less stigmatized

I can offer my help or just let them tell me their problems. I can become more understanding and reach out to people with depression. I could also inform other people about depression, so they too can help.

Get rid of the stigma around depression and do not discriminate those who suffer from depression. If we put them down, they will want to seek help less. We have to understand the truth of depression instead of simplifying it as "feeling sad" as well.

Be more aware and not say stuff so hurtful as a joke

We can help the quality of life for people with depression because we can help people and accept the things they are going through and empathize with them.

You can help by including them in everyday things and not saying things that are rude.

Reach out and be gentle to those suffering with depression. Encourage them and be there to talk with them, or just be there to listen. We should also eliminate the stigma that surrounds depression and make a safer community for everyone.

I think best way we can respond is keep educating in a variety of ways from young to old. I liked the illustration of child knowing where the bandaide was for cut. We need to reach all age groups to help them learn that mental and emotional hurts need to be treated just like physical hurts. However other issue is stimagatism that goes alone with *********** from society ie "your crazy or your weak if you seek help". Also many know it can be detramental to your career, ability to own a gun, etc etc. if you seek help all of these are things that need to be addressed.

I could check up on people who I feel are suffering from depression. Letting them know that this is normal and that they are not alone. Also scheduling a therapy appointment or researching different types of ***********. Making sure they know that they are loved and that they are suffering from a disease that is not their fault.

I think that first of all we should encourage depressed people to seek help. We can recommend therapists, visit them but also support them in dealing with the disease and in its ***********. We should also be tolerant of such people.

I would make sure to show respect to everyone in my community and try to help include people so they don’t feel left out. I would love to help make others happy and feel included to support them and my community.

In order to improve the quality of lives for people with depression people have to eliminate stigma that comes with the topic so that people feel safe and comfortable. Besides this we also have to encourage those who genuinely have symptoms to seek for help in order to help them get ***********.

I think what I could do in my community is maybe build a relationship with people around me so that they will be able to trust me and tell me how they feel so that I can find help for them.

You could help by just being respectful and listening to the persons struggles, and letting them know that its normal to seek out help. Maybe even offer to help look for therapists for them. Make others feel valid about what they are feeling and bring awareness. It's ok to feel this way, and seek others for help! Be open about your struggles, and let others know that they aren't alone. :)

Understand that depression isn't something that can be helped overnight that it's something that a lot a people struggle with but feel as if others will not treat them seriously or talk down to them. First, educating more people about depression and the signs or symptoms could help more people reach out and understand how and why their feeling what they feel. Second, remove the stigma that individuals struggling with depression are weak. Once people feel as if it's safe to openly talk to others they would feel more comfortable seeking professional ***********.

I think we should try to be understanding of their struggles and not chalk it up to them just feeling temporarily sad or being weak in some way, and let them know how valid and real their struggle is and that they should seek help so they could get better, like how we would want anyone with a cold to feel better through medication and professional help.

I think as a community we could be uplifting to people suffering with depression, even with are words we can hurt greatly. I think being aware that we can damage people, and then not being hurtful society could push-out ignorant people, and make more people suffering with depression want help.

I think that in your community if you are kind you can help someone through a difficult time. I once saw a tree where you can write down a positive note such as "You are beautiful no matter what others see!" hang it on a branch, and someone else can take one down and keep it if they are going through a rough time.

Yes, if we were more kind and if noticed signs of depression talk to that person and befriend them it's a step we can all take to stop depression.

you have to treat them the same and let them know they are not doing this alone. you hav eto have a good support system.

I think normalizing people with depression can make them feel better because so many people struggle with it.

It's essential to now no longer choose human beings who've any kind of intellectual infection. It is an infection and it might not leave simply due to the fact you need it to. Encourage human beings to get help. Listen, ask questions, all with out judgement.

I believe that one could help spread awareness in their community by talking with others about it, and educating those around them about it to further halt ignorance on the subject.

We might expect that this would stimulate improved understanding and treatment of mental health problems, yet in ... masks great variability: different treatments work for different people.

I think that giving the correct information in social media to people would help solving doubts about people with depression

I think that the best way to help is by doing simple but carefully orientated actions. People with depression are already in pain and the best we could do is try to avoid making things more compicated than they already are. For example, I believe that doing as little as supporting people by helping build a better educated society, capable of understanding the truths about depression would help those who struggle with the illness feel more confident to share their feelings with others. Therefore improving their life quality.

I myself think that we should encourage people with depression to go as early as they can for help. Because the more patients the more doctors are able to understand when it will pop up in one person.

I think that the best way to support those who are struggling with depression is to be there for them. I think that it is critical to make people know that its not bad to have depression and that its a real thing and that their feelings are valid. most of the times, the problem is people have been hurt in the past and don't want to reach out because they are afraid of what others will say, so affirmative words are really important.

Talk to them. Most of the time people suffering from mental illnesses either don't want to talk about it or don't know why this is happening. So the important thing is to keep trying to get them to talk and help them understand why they are going through this and how to overcome it

Educating the masses about mental illnesses should be the first and foremost step. Nobody should feel like they are abnormal of oversensitive for experiencing a mental illness. Education will also help people to recognize if they have a mental illness or not. For example, a student whose grades are dropping because of their depression may think that the reason for their failure is just laziness. We should also stop saying phrases like 'I'm so depressed' when you know that you are just feeling a bit sad, because that undercuts the struggles of people with actual depression. You won't say 'I'm dead' just because you fainted. In general, we should all be more open and compassionate for others. Don't be ignorant towards their pains and struggles. Stop the stigmas like 'People with mental illnesses are just weak willed' and 'You'll get over it'. You can't just get over it. The first response to a person coming out as depressed should not be, 'We all feel down sometimes'.

I think we should pay more attention to the people around us by discussing more and we should help them by being with their support during that period and advising them to go to specialists who will be where the problem comes from, which will help us find a way to deal with it.

I think that most people affected by depression are unaware that they are affected by depression. I think the first thing we need to do is to explain the depression to them correctly and direct them to the treatment of this disease.

I think depression is the ashamed issue among people generally. This situation causes that we have less information about depression and treatments. If we will can learn symptom and show the problem is common, we will realize a really big step for happiness on the earth.

We must support people who have depression or who can observe that they may be going through difficult times and act in time because they may be in danger

Hi My name is Gianna Can we learn now

We should normalize taking care of our mental health, to reduce the stigma. In addition, we ought to be polite and emphatic because we do not know what situations are people dealing with.

We should normalize taking care of our mental health, to reduce the stigma. In addition, we ought to be polite and empathic because we do not know what situations are people dealing with.

Respect all differences around us.

I think we need to be communicate that depression, be more open to share your feelings and hear other people feelings around you.

I want to give an example for this question. My youngest uncle is suffering because of depression but he didn't ask for help and my grandparents stigmatized my uncle and they thought they were helping. But their attitude about this topic made the situation even worse. So I am trying to say that we should think about them and we mustn't stigmatize them even if it is an easier way of dealing with those kind of people. Don't forget it can happen to anybody.

Maybe if we would teach the children to understand feel bad is normal, they slowly could remove the stigma

I think we should listen to people who have symptoms of depression and try to help them,something that could be donde in my is to hand out brochures with infotmation related to the symptoms of depression.

If you or person around you you must help them or yourself in seeking help to help the specialists to increase the research and help to improve the lives of depressed people.

For depression is quite a prevalent medical condition - at least compared to that of what many may assume - we should understand that anyone, even those who may look happy in appearance, could be struggling with depression. With this in mind, we should take caution when talking, especially when dealing with sensitive matters, and try to make everyone feel welcome and liked. In more serious cases, we could also encourage people to seek professional help, assuring them that it is not something to be ashamed of.

From my perspective, we can't help the whole individuals who are having depression. Because relying on the video, it is so hard to find out who is having depression. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean that we can't do anything about this complex disease. Some of the individuals who are having depression sometimes show their emotions through activity or their speeches. At that moment, we will play an important role is that try to avoid them from depression, that is what we can do to temporary help them out of depression.

We should treat them as regular people. Don't humiliate, don't discriminate but try to help them to get rid of this disease

The depression have eveverywhere in this world. The people who has their depression sickness are completely suffer from the discriminate tolerance. So why don't we have some non-profit ogarnization to improve our feeling now these days. Think about it, a beautiful world without depress, a world has fully ambitions and hapiness. Look for a better life.

In our daily life , many people don't know that the depression can be an illness just as the video mentioned. in my daily life, I still remember I tried to suicide when I was teenager, because of heavy homework and big stress from my family. I don't have any freedom in my own life . My parent decide everything about me. So I felt depress at that time and wanted to get away home. Even got the knife to end my life. I didn't aware that I was sick and even my parents. Fortunately, I became better when I leaved home after i graduating from high school. I went to university in other city which is very far away my home. I think I had a hard time. Thus, many people in our life should know about depress. Not everybody can be lucky as me. Bad things may happen if we don't care.

I think the simpler role that we or I can do for people who have depression is to be their friend who can always listen to their problems or story or just give them some advice that probably can help them, like for example advice for going to the psychiatrist.

Oh btw, I'm from Linguamarina Channel, and this is my day 1. Just thank you to Marina for introducing me to TED-Ed. this is so helpful:)

In the part o the world that I live in, the most factor that prevents people from seeking medical psychological help is the way the community looks at it. Unfortunaletly, it is still assumed that if someone is seeing a psychologist then he is un-normal person and that will impact the way the people deal with him, this will make things worst for the person since this will push more towards feeling isolated and even shame, etc..
I strongly believe that the first step to direct the efforts towards changing this terribly mistaken society view, through concentrated media campaigns across the country, with customized sessions for different age groups.
Once the patients feel that this approach is changing, this will automatically give them a nudge to open up and sell for medical help.