How do I help someone suffering with anxiety and depression?

[YellowUnicorn]

I have a friend who has recently come out of a horrible relationship where she was constantly told that she was nothing, amongst other things. She comes from a pretty oppressive family and blindly goes into new relationships as a form of escapism. She is at a point where she believes she is only worthy if she is with a man. I want to help her get out of this cycle so she can build herself up to be her own person, as she is still very young. Her depression is really serious and she also has anxiety. How do I help her find her worth? How can I help her find another way to get away from the oppression?

[Agora1]

You are quite a friend YellowUnicorn in wanting to help your friend get out from under her oppression. If we are told negative things about ourselves by others, over and over again, we then start to believe it. A matter of survival is for us to find an escape from our unhappiness. Sometimes, it makes matters worse by compounding the original situation that we were in. Young or old, she needs to repair the damage that was done to her and find her true self worth with or without a man.

Because of her severe depression and anxiety, I would hope she would see a professional

therapist who can help guide her in the right direction. As her friend, I'm sure you want to keep her safe and this is the better way to go. We can only suggest by our own experiences on this forum as to the next step. Keep standing by her side as she takes the next step forward in finding her true self. We could all use a friend like you in our lives.

xx