Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How can I tell people I have depression?

    Related Topics
    Depression Mental Health
    I have heard all the facts, but no where says how to explain to friends and family that I have depression. My mum says to just ask to talk to them, but that is NOT easy for me to do! I have a close group of friends and I want to tell them, but it is really hard to just get up and say I have depression. It is causing me a lot of anxiety and worry, I think they should know but I cannot say. I feel like there is someone putting a hand over my mouth every time I go to say something. Any tips will help! Ta.
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • 1

    Thanks

    Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith

    Health Professional

    My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    It is a hard question which I doubt has a “one size fits all” answer.

    The members of my family are aware of my depression and have been very supportive.

    I have many casual friends but only a few (about three) *close* friends. The latter are aware of my depression, partly because my behaviours impinged on them before I was in remission so I figured that they had a “right to know” - again they have offered me heaps of support.

    I see no reason to mention it to my casual friends, mainly because IRL I am intensely private (in MBTI jargon, an INTJ/INTP).

    A question for you which may help to bring these issues into focus (it has no “right” answer):

    What are you hoping for if you were to share your Dx with your family and friends? 

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
    Reply to this post

    You must be a Health Professional to reply to this post. to your account or now (it's free).

answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices