TED演讲:什么是抑郁症?(3)

 　　So, if you know someone struggling with depression, encourage them, gently, to seek out some of these options. 所以，如果你认识为抑郁症所苦的人温和地鼓励他，去寻求其中几项的帮助。

　　You might even offer to help with specific tasks,  你甚至也可提供特别的协助，

　　like looking up therapists in the area, or making a list of questions to ask a doctor. 像帮他找附近的治疗师或是列出一张要问医师问题的清单。

　　To someone with depression, these first steps can seem insurmountable. 对抑郁症患者来说踏出寻求治疗的最初几步都可谓举步难难。

　　If they feel guilty or ashamed, point out that depression is a medical condition, just like asthma¹ or diabetes². 如果他们会觉得罪恶或羞耻的话，要点醒他们：抑郁是一种疾病，就像气喘或糖尿病。

　　It's not a weakness or a personality trait,  它不是弱点或人格特质，

　　and they shouldn't expect themselves to just get over it anymore than they could will themselves to get over a broken arm. 也不应该认为自己有办法熬过去，这正如不能光靠自己的意志力就治好手骨折一样。

　　If you haven't experienced depression yourself, avoid comparing it to times you've felt down. 如果你没有得过抑郁症，要避免拿它来和自己失意时比较。

　　Comparing what they're experiencing to normal, temporary feelings of sadness can make them feel guilty for struggling. 将他们的抑郁症和自己平常短暂的沮丧相比会让他们对挣扎有罪恶感。

　　Even just talking about depression openly can help. 就算只是公开谈论抑郁症也会有帮助。

　　For example, research shows that asking someone about suicidal thoughts actually reduces their suicide³ risk. 举例来说，研究显示问某人对自杀的看法真的可降低他们的自杀风险。

　　Open conversations about mental illness help erode⁴ stigma⁵ and make it easier for people to ask for help. 公开谈论心理疾病可以削弱它的坏名声，让人们能更无拘束地去寻求协助。

　　And the more patients seek treatment, the more scientists will learn about depression, and the better the treatments will get. 而就诊的病患越多，科学家对抑郁症的了解就越多，治疗方式就会越来越好。

1 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

2 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

3 suicide   

n.自杀，自毁，自杀性行为

参考例句：

• The number of suicide has increased.自杀案件的数量增加了。
• The death was adjudged a suicide by sleeping pills.该死亡事件被判定为服用安眠药自杀。

4 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

5 stigma   

n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头

参考例句：

• Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
• The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。