Hello, I'm after some advice on how to support someone going through a really tough time.
One of my close family has depression and PTSD due to a traumatic work incident (they work in the emergency services) and had a previous mentally abusive relationship; they're on a lot of medication due to all this. They live in a different part of the country, so we can't visit them in COVID times. I speak to them regularly (every day or every other day) and suggest new things to try to keep themselves busy (particularly as they live alone), but they say the PTSD has given them a five minute attention span, so they can't read, watch a film, listen to a podcast etc. They do go running a couple of times a week, but that's it. They don't have a partner/kids, so feel incredibly alone and isn't ready to meet someone new until they've got their head in a better place.
I'm not sure what else I can do to help. I don't suffer with these conditions, so I'll never really properly understand what they're going through or how they might be able to get better. They also sometimes say that they have suicidal thoughts.
Lockdown hasn't helped obviously (in me being able to visit and also them being able to meet up with friends and do normal activities etc). They do see a councillor, but I think these sessions are due to end soon.
Does anyone have any advice on what else I might be able to do to support them? Thanks.