Take care of yourself

To keep from burning out:

• Ask for help. Caring for someone with depression isn't easy. Ask other relatives or friends to help. Tell them what you need.
• Take steps to stay healthy. Find time for yourself. Do what you enjoy, stay physically active, check in with friends and renew your spirit.
• Be patient. Depression symptoms improve with treatment, but it can take time. Finding the best treatment may require trying more than one type of medicine or treatment approach. For some people, symptoms quickly improve after starting treatment. For others, it will take longer.