If you've had/have clinical depression....?!

If you've had/have clinical depression....?

How has it affected your relationships? Do you find it difficult to communicate with the people in your life that you love the most, and find yourself cutting them out of your life? More specifically, have you had to end a relationship because of it, but couldn't bring yourself to communicate any further with that person even if they were offering support and help?? I've found myself in this situation, and don't know what to do to help him. I'm trying to be a friend to him, but he's not very responsive to me and I don't know if I should leave him be or keep offering support and letting him know I am there so he knows that I haven't abandoned him. I'm just having a hard time trying to figure out his unresponsiveness....

2 weeks ago
I'm trying to be patient. We were going out for about 3 months when he told me it wouldn't work out for now because he had to fix things in his life so he could be happy. This happened about 5 months ago. Still has not given a definite answer on the relationship, he just avoids answering the question whenever I brought it up,and said before that he just doesn't know what will happen. I've been offering support as a friend, and every once in a while I write an email to see how he's doing and to let him know I am there. Some he responds to, some he doesn't. Last time he responded he said he was doing okay, but not the best and was managing to get by. He also said things were still uneasy but they are working their way out. I want to keep in touch with him so he knows I haven't abandoned him, but it's hard when he gives me the cold shoulder. I don't fully understand

When I'm depressed, I feel too bad about myself to talk to people, even if I like them a lot.

Try communicating with him regularly, in just little ways. Give a note one day, send a postcard one day, leave a Voice Mail message one day, etc.

Make sure you keep your own needs met, so don't focus on him to the exclusion of yourself. Keep yourself upbeat, which is important, too.