10 Things other people said or did that helped me when I was depressed

1. They said, “There is nothing you have to do or achieve.” This was really important, because part of my depression was the feeling that I had not done enough, not achieved enough, not been good enough, that I was not good enough or deserving enough to deserve God’s love or my family’s love. 
2. They never said, “Think positive,” or “Try to pull yourself out of it.” 
3. They came to visit. When I was at my worst, they came to visit me. Even if they couldn’t think of what to say, their presene really meant a lot to me. 
4. Were okay with just being there. Just the presence of someone else meant a lot to me then. 
5. Reassured me God still loved me, even if I couldn’t think it or feel it, and that He was still with me, even if I couldn’t feel His presence. This was really helpful. 
6. Occasionally got angry with me when I said something particularly unreasonable. I can’t recommend this as a conscious tactic (when I was depressed I was very sensitive to deception and could have spotted that a mile off) but if you do involuntarily get angry with the person you love, because they are spouting nonsense, don’t feel guilty about it afterwards - it actually helped me to realise that love is real, that the world is real, in a funny sort of way. 
7. Reassured me that I would feel happiness again some day. This was so important, to have that hope. And it is true - it did happen! (I remember reading a story about someone at Auschwitz who told another inmate who was thinking of committing suicide, “How, then, will you know what the end of your story is?”) The thought that I might feel happy again one day was one thing that kept me going. 
8. Regarding Strange Thoughts - reassured me that everyone gets strange thoughts sometimes. This has been a perversely comforting thought, since I do suffer from these at times. 
9. Reminded me of particular Bible verses:

             Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Romans 8:1

             For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38

             Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8 

10. Encouraged me to keep hoping, that someday I wouldn’t even remember what it was like to be depressed. Strangely enough I still do remember what it was like, but I no longer experience that depression. I know happiness and sadness and a range of emotions now. You do come out of it.