Gifts to Help People Who Are Depressed
Are you looking for ideas for gifts for people with depression?
Your loved ones and friends with depression probably need your time and attention more than anything.
But beyond that, there are certain things you can give them that will help to lift them up.
These include items that will help to promote healthy habits, help encourage rational thinking, as well as just make them feel comforted and safe.
Below are some ideas to get you started.
Saving Money on Gifts
Before you start shopping, make sure you are signed up for Rakuten!
This is a cashback service that pays you money when you shop by going to their website first.
It’s super easy and you can shop at all of your favorite stores.
Right now, you can get $10 for FREE when you sign up and spend $25 within 90 days. Who doesn’t want free money? Use that free $10 toward more gifts!
Make sure you use this link to sign up and get your referral bonus!
If you want to learn more about how Rakuten works, read my post all the secrets to making Rakuten work for you!
Tech & Gadgets
If you’re thinking of technology or gadgets as gifts, there are lots of options.
Light therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for seasonal depression, so that’s an easy gift idea for anyone who seems to suffer most in the dark winter months.
Any sort of tracker (fitness, brain-sensing) is also a good idea since it’s not something a person might buy for themselves. But, it will be gratefully received (and probably put to good use).
- Fitbit Inspire 2 Health & Fitness Tracker
- Verilux HappyLight 10,000 LuxLight Therapy Lamp
- MUSE: The Brain Sensing Headband
Books
Books are an easy choice for anyone living with a low mood. You don’t even have to choose one that’s obviously about depression.
Free Training: "Conversation Advice for Overthinkers"
Check out this free training offered by the experts at Social Pro Now!
- How to use "Conversational Threading" to avoid awkward silence
- The proven way to get past boring small talk
- Instantly beat self-consciousness with the "OFC-method"
- Busting the myth that you have to get a "more interesting life" to be more interesting"
Furiously Happy is a good example of a mainstream book dealing with this difficult topic in a light-hearted way.
If you’d rather not pick a particular book to give as a gift, you could always give a gift subscription to Audible or Kindle Unlimited.
- Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
- Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration
- Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks
- Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things
Journaling
Journaling has many mental health benefits, especially if it’s done on a regular basis.
Make it easier for a person with depression to make journaling a habit by providing them with a workbook that guides the process.
Do you want to be really helpful to someone who is really struggling (and whom you know well)?
An option might be to sign them up for
Plans with Betterhelp are as little as $65 per week and they don’t even have to leave home to chat with their therapist.
Readers of this blog also receive a 20% discount off the first month of Betterhelp therapy when using the link below.
Here’s a sneaky way to buy a gift for a person with depression. Make it a gift that’s all about their health!
Everyone wants to be healthier, so these types of gifts are easier to give.
An easy example is a nice water bottle that encourages them to stay hydrated and drink more water.
Self Care
It’s so easy to let self-care slide when you are depressed. Make it easy for your friend or family member to take care of themselves with a gift that encourages self-care practices like using essential oil, drinking tea, or taking supplements.
- Ylang Ylang essential oil
- The Republic of Tea Be Well Red Rooibos Tea – Get Happy
- Spray The B!#ch Away – Aromatherapy Spray for PMS, Menopause, Relaxation
Related: 21+ Self Care Gift Ideas for Mental Health
Mindfulness
Mindfulness helps to keep you in the present moment without worrying about the past or the future.
Some simple and thoughtful mindfulness gifts include a miniature zen garden or a lemon tree.
Outfit Formulas Gift Certificate
If the person on your list struggles with getting dressed every day, give them a gift certificate to Outfit Formulas by Get Your Pretty On! I personally have been doing the Style Challenges with this group since 2019 and it’s totally changed my life.
Mugs
Do you want to give a gift that makes someone smile each time they use it? In that case, you might want to consider a cute mug with an uplifting quote.
- Smiley Happy Face Stoneware Coffee Mug
- You Are Fearless Mug
- You’re Awesome Keep That Sh*t Up Mug
- Today Will Be Magical Unicorn Mug
Jewelry
Jewelry can be inspirational if you live with depression. Here are some ideas for jewelry gifts for people with depression.
- Everything Will Be Okay Depression Bracelet
- Semicolon Depression Awareness Bracelet
- You are Braver Than You Believe Stronger Than You Seem and Smarter Than You Think Cuff Bangle Bracelet
- Inspirational Gifts for Women Hidden Message Cuff Bracelet
Related: 23+ Anxiety Jewelry Gift Options
Tattoos
Do you think your friend or family member needs an ego boost? Give them a temporary tattoo that helps to remind them of their inner best self.
- Semicolon Dragonfly Temporary Tattoos
- Be Not Afraid Temporary Tattoo
- “Continue” Semicolon Temporary Tattoo
Basic Daily Help
When it gets right down to it, some people with depression just need help with basic daily stuff like eating, cleaning, sleeping, and how to plan their time.
Some good ideas for this include an Amazon home cleaning service, meal delivery gift cards, a weighted blanket to encourage better sleep, or a planner designed to break down big goals into bite-sized steps.
That’s it for suggestions! What will you be buying for gifts for people with depression?
P.S. – Don’t forget to sign up for Rakuten to get $20 for free when you spend $20! That’s like one gift paying for itself!
Make sure you use this link to sign up and get your referral bonus! And go make your first purchase to claim your $20!
- 23+ Anxiety Jewelry Options to Calm Down Fast
- 65+ Gifts for People with Anxiety
- 21+ Self Care Gift Ideas for Mental Health
WANT TO REMEMBER THIS? SAVE 38+ GIFT IDEAS FOR PEOPLE WITH DEPRESSION TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD!
38+ Gifts for People with Depression
Here are some of my favorite social anxiety tools
Thanks for reading! I hope you found some helpful tips. Since this site is about social anxiety, I wanted to also share some tools I use that I hope you’ll find helpful. Some of these are affiliate links, so if you decide to try them, I’ll earn a commission. However, I only recommend things I have used myself and would recommend to a friend or family member.
Online Therapy: For online therapy, I have personally used and like the service offered by Betterhelp. It's easy to get started from the comfort of your home. You'll even get a discount on your first month of therapy when you use my link.
Doctor Visits: For doctor visits, Web Doctors offers convenient online appointments.
Audible Subscription: I recommend a lot of self-help books on this site, but I actually prefer an audiobook subscription over print books! My favorite subscription service is Audible because it has all the best-sellers and they stay in your digital library forever (even if you end your subscription). You can sign up for a free trial and listen to your first two books for free.
Social Anxiety Masterclass: The Social Anxiety Masterclass is my signature course where I walk you through everything I know about how to manage social anxiety. If you're not ready to enroll in the course, be sure to subscribe to my email newsletter to hear about special deals!
Leave a Reply