My sister has depression and I'm the only one she talks to...

[Ceoil24]

My sister has quite bad depression and lives in Ireland... I live in Perth... I'm the only one she talks to.. I want to know that I'm saying the right things and also I need some support for myself too...

[TheSteve]

Hi Ceoil,

Thanks for sharing. That is very special of you to support your sister the way you do, especially from afar. Being a regular and solid port of call for her is very important, as she will require a reliable support network to bring herself through depression.

There is only so much you can do in regards to talking her through the dark periods. You are likely doing all fo this now, so keep it up. What is critical is that you encourage her to get help from a mental health professional locally in Ireland. She should see a doctor and get referred to a counselor or behavioural therapist. This is a critical part of her recovery and another step at building a support network.

You can also help by talking her into activities, sports, healthy lifestyle, support groups, sharing ideas on diet and fitness, topics of interest etc. The list goes on. At times, distracting her and helping her build a big-picture life plan is going to be most helpful.

It is critical however that you guide her into local support with a mental health professional.

Good luck and we are here if you need to chat.

Steve

[geoff]

hello Ceoil, what an enormous effort you have undertaken, but more so your sister must love and trust you to be able to talk from so far away, because the times you aren't talking with her can be quite frightening because you never know what she is doing, but that always happens even if you live with someone, it's such an unknown illness, because everyone is completely different, although the common factor is depression.
I'm not going to reiterate what Steve has said although at times this may happen, however what she says to you she may not follow through with after she has accepted that she needs to get help, but sometimes depressed people say one thing but never do it, and that's what is most worrying.
You could ask her what her doctor's name is and then her counsellor, then ask her what they were wearing, not that you will ever know, but it puts her into believing that you do know, and then ask her whether she cried and if she found the session helpful, or did she drive there herself or has someone who is trying to help her.
I wouldn't ask all of this at once, spread it out when you talk with her.
Is there a possibility she or you can see each other face to face because this is alway more beneficial. Geoff.