How do you tell the difference between a rut and depression before you intervene?
A rut is situational friction where functionality remains; clinical depression involves systemic depletion and loss of interest across all domains that does not lift when circumstances change.
Why does giving quick fixes to someone in a rut usually backfire?
Unsolicited fixes trigger psychological reactance, induce learned helplessness, and deplete the supporter through fix fatigue.
How do you support someone without taking ownership of their problem?
Use language swaps that return the pronouns, such as replacing 'you should' with 'what options have you weighed?' to keep the pen in their hand.