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Watching a friend go through depression is never easy and it's hard to know what to do. Here's a few guidelines if you're searching for the ways on how to best deal with this situation:

Behavior that doesn't seem to help:

Telling or forcing someone to "Snap out of it!";
Trying to draw someone out of depression by persuasion, contrived cheerfulness or funny jokes;
Correcting destructive, illogical, pessimistic viewpoints;

Behavior that often helps includes:

Being sensitive;
Having integrity - Being natural - Being yourself!; and
Looking after your own needs and support and those of others in the situation.

Both of you may benefit from spending time:

Apart and alone;
Separately with supportive friends and in revitalizing activities;
Together with supportive friends and in re-vitalizing activities;
With a professional counselor, therapist, healer, stress consultant or your GP; or
In a formal or informal self-help and support group of fellow sufferers or carers (2)

(Source: Bucknell University)