How to Help a Depressed Human?

Depressed humans can have a poor view of motivation. They fail to see or recognize opportunities that might help them recover from depression. Because they cannot identify or perceive such opportunities, depressed humans are unable to use their motivation effectively. When they try, their attempts at improvement are often thwarted by minor obstacles or by their own refusal to recognize a need that could better their condition.

Many people who become depressed become very rigid in their thinking and pessimistic about life. Their self-defeating behavior is reinforced by their negative perspective on life. In short, the depressed human creates his or her own pessimistic world in which no positive changes can occur. A depressed human does not think rationally; instead, they reflect on life in terms of loss and despair. This only leads to more hopelessness and even deeper depression.

Help Them Perceive Potential

To become motivated again, a depressed person has to perceive a potential which exists in all people - the possibility of an improved future. The first step to do this is to recognize that, for some reason, the human mind is capable of producing and experiencing pleasure. In order to change the depressed state of mind, the depressed person must re-evaluate life as he or she understands it. If, after careful reflection, they find that happiness is possible, they can be motivated to make the necessary changes that will change their lives.

Help Them Perceive Enjoyment

To become motivated again, the depressed human must begin to perceive that enjoyment is possible. 

1. For the first step, this can be a simple process of re-association of happy events with happiness. It can begin by simply recalling a time when they felt very happy, like when they won the lottery, for example. A depressed human being can also gain a new understanding of his or her life if he or she listens to music, has regular exercise, or spends time with people who are happy and enjoying their life. Each of these can provide a foundation for re-establishing a sense of well-being and joy.
2. The second step that needs to be taken by a depressed human is to identify activities that produce enjoyment in him or her. This may include sports, gardening, painting, writing, listening to music, watching television, participating in work projects, going out for an exercise or socializing with others. Any activity that produces excitement can become a source of happiness. When the depressed human begins to identify activities that produce feelings of happiness, he or she can begin to understand that he or she possesses the capacity to become motivated.

Generate Happiness

Learning about how to become motivated again becomes easier when the depressed human begins to use a few basic strategies for creating and maintaining an environment that generates happiness. 

1. One of the first steps is to ensure that there are sufficient rewards. These rewards can take many forms, including physical foods, money, and other things that create pleasure and enhance the feelings of well-being. There should be an ongoing flow of such rewards. 
2. The next step is to ensure that the rewards are accessible and that they are not too easily "gifted" or "hitched" to someone else.
3. The third step to helping depressed humans is to recognize that one of the best gifts that humans can give each other is love. The depressed human needs to learn how to love himself or herself. 

This is achieved when the depressed human learns to appreciate the good qualities in himself or herself. By learning how to appreciate the good in himself or herself, the depressed human will become more motivated than before. This can make the depressed human feel less depressed, as he or she will start to have some joy again.

Final Words of Motivation

It is important to note that helping depressed humans does not have to be done alone. In fact, it often makes sense to ask the help of those who love us the most. This does not mean that the depressed human has to let go of personal relationships. It only means that such relationships should not be viewed as hindrances to becoming more motivated. Such relationships are a great gift to the depressed human, and the depressed person should let them know that they need such relationships. It may be necessary, though, to remind such people that they need to be motivated, just as much as the depressed human is, because without motivation, life can become a lot more stressful than it has to be.