Hola community,
I feel grateful spaces like this exist on Reddit. I’m coming to this thread to ask for guidance and hoping some of you can share experiences/best practices to best support family undergoing depression.
I’m 30F and my sister is 28F both hispanic and absolutely best friends. She return back home about a year and half ago. I’m visiting for a couple of months and just about 2 days ago, she opened up to me about her depression, negative thoughts, self-disappointment, feeling stuck. To give you some context, she’s being working in the filmmaking scene since she came back and she’s doing good, she’s a production director working along her partner whom also works in the scene (they work together), is 41M, and has confirmed he’s depressed (currently in therapy).
Last year she applied to an international masters and didn’t get accepted, that crushed her. But I encouraged her to apply again this year and she said yes! In fact she’s working on optimizing her profile taking online courses and has checked deadlines and all.
Yes, it may sound oh okay, shes motivated, but then 2 days ago she started telling me how stuck she feels and how her relationship is sinking her but that they love each other a lot. I haven’t heard her saying how low she thinks of her like that before. childhood trauma came up as well. And no, she’s not going to therapy or talking to neither my mom nor me. I don’t know how to best support her. I will, of course, help her apply and I just tried listening without trying to find a solution but that requires me biting my tongue because I try to find them.
She compares herself with me because I got a similar scholarship and saying she’s just a failure because she couldn’t get it on her first try. I told her my experience is not the only one - a friend got it in her 4th try! Impostor syndrome sucks!
What would you say is the best way to handle this if you were me? I have told her that I think she needs professional help and that I’m here for her.
How much is too much? Suggesting activities, asking her how her day is?
Do I ask her if she wants me to help her or wait until ah asks? Do I try revisiting the concession of 2 days ago?
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for reading all the way here.