Both good ideas.

Does anyone have any advice for how best to speak to someone who's suddenly showing strong symptoms of clinical depression? My dad, who's normally very chipper and upbeat, has been in such a state of misery the last few days—apparently in reaction to an antibiotic—that he's seriously frightening my mom. He's blaming himself for every problem, saying that he doesn't deserve to do things like watch television (when Mom tried to cheer himup with some comedies and game shows), and made a comment about there being a lot of pills around the house.

While I've of course helped cheer people up when they're down in the dumps due to unpleasant situations, I've never dealt with someone who is in that seriously bad a mental state, and I'm very fearful of doing or saying something that will make things worse.

That is a hard one, Matt. I would do my best to make him (or your mom) talk to the doctor and see if this is an expected side effect of the antibiotic, and see if there is an alternate drug or something that would counteract it.

What Lee said, Matt. If it is a reaction to the drug, it needs to be switched for one that doesn't cause that side effect. Or a counter-effect drug prescribed. I'm sorry he's going through this, and putting you and your mom through the worry about him.

He's already seen the doctor (yesterday), and been taken off the antibiotic and given a mild anti-depressant. We're 99% positive that's the root cause since it's such a 180° turnaround from his usual personality and began soon after taking the drug. But the blue mood has continued through today (actually we think something the doctor said in concern may have brought up his older brother's suicide and made him start thinking about such things). I'm headed over tomorrow to visit and try and draw him out of the funk as much as I can, though I doubt he'll feel like getting out and doing anything like going for a drive or people watching that might ordinarily make him feel better if he was a bit down.

I think just being there with him is probably the best thing, Matt. I hope that changing the drugs helps lift the depression.

What Lee said.

My thoughts are with you, Matt. I am glad that you are going over there tomorrow and that his medication was changed. I hope he comes out of this as quickly as the depression started.

Ugh, Matt. I think I would try to treat it like it was a physical side-effect; acknowledge that its painful and you're sorry he's going through it. 'Cause it sounds like trying to be too cheery or saying, "Oh, you only feel this way because of the antibiotics" might backfire; when you're depressed that can feel dismissive.

Does he like any games? Cards or something that requires a little interaction might distract him from how he feels for a bit. But mostly I think I'd let him lead the conversation, or lack of it.

I don't know how much any of that is worth, but I hope he feels better soon.

Skipping (didn't guess that, right?) to post that, according to the Buffista Calendar,today is Sheryl and her DH's anniversary, and wish a great day and a wonderful year to both of them!

It seems safe to say that nearly everyone in the US should be careful in the heat today, since it's supposed to be 100 here today, and they didn't mention it on the national NPR news -- they focused on CA and the midwest. Stay cool!