How can I help my good friend - a doctor?

[evam]

Dear Community, dear Readers,

I am coming to you in hope to get ideas and advice.

My very good friend and housemate is depressed and I don't know what else I can do to help him. He is such a lovely and polite guy, when we are outside or when he is at work nobody realizes it, but when he is at home in the evenings I see it and we talk about everything. I let him talk, in hope that it somehow helps him a bit, but he sees everything very negatively. He doesn't want to be in his profession anymore and is looking at a career change, but even then he seems not very excited about it. He feels like everything is going wrong for him and he also a bit betrayed by god.

Apart from just listening to him, I do make sure he knows that I'm always there for him when he needs me; I take all the house chores off him and make sure he comes home to a clean, homely house. I give him hugs and basically all the love I can give him in this time. I try making his day a bit brighter with little things, like getting him a strawberry milk (he loves it) and so on.

I know that it is a hard time for him and I don't like seeing him this way, because I care very much for him. Is there anything else I can do, apart from being there for him?

I don't want to suggest to him to see a doctor, because he is one himself, so it may be strange to tell a doctor to see a doctor.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance and have a great day!!

[pipsy]

Hi evam. Dr's asking Dr's for advise. It's often been said that Dr's make the worse patients. That's the truest statement. Being a Dr means he probably knows a lot more about where he is emotionally, than he's telling you. Is he a general practitioner or does he specialize. From what your post suggests, it sounds as though he's done some praying and he isn't listening to his heart, which is where and how the answers from God come from. God is the spiritual healer which sounds good in theory, but practical help is physical. I'm not knocking anyone's beliefs, I attend church regularly, but I also believe in physically reaching out. All you can do really is keep doing what you have been doing. If you are able to encourage him to 'bounce' ideas off you about a possible career change, then, that's all he needs for now. Offer him the companionship and 'ear' when he needs it. He's the only one who can make his mind up, all you can do is encourage, support, listen.

Lynda

[evam]

Dear Lynda,

Thank you so much for your reply!

I do agree that doctors can be the worst patients. He works in a hospital as a doctor and is studying in his free time to become a radiation oncologist.

Do you think it might help to pray with him? I'm not the most religious person, but I was brought up more or less religious and respect it.

Thank you!!

Eva

[pipsy]

Hi Eva. I would ask him if he would like you to pray with him. He would most likely be grateful as sometimes it's nice to have someone 'there' when we pray. They say that the more people that pray together, the more strength in the prayer. I have two special friends in my church who often pray with and for me when I'm feeling 'down', it does seem to help me feel better knowing someone cares enough to be there.

Lynda.