For me it's been people acknowledging they simply don't understand, and don't know what to say, but instead, treating me just as if I were okay--I feel I completely messed up how I mean that
). Every ****ing person around already knows "that i'm a split-minded schizophrenic, that i'm an alcoholic, that i literally live in a mad house, and so on".. Of course, all things started from my dad who used to beat me on the head with heavy metal things my entire life. That's why i had 3 micro strokes and 2 brain concussions. One time i survived only because my acquaintances from abroad sent me a medicine, and though my whole head was distended, and a pink exudate from the brain was leaking through my nose for a week, this case didn't have significant consequences.
It doesn't digest now though i've taken a shower. Tomorrow we have a comission which can imply my disability-adjusted life-year. But i just want to work and live a normal life. 
I wanted to go to the playground now, but it's dark, cold and raining again.
At least i can eat a triple doze of painkillers which also have an anti-depressive effect. 
If you know them fairly well, you can ask questions to try and understand their situation. Have they told anyone else about their depression? How long have they been feeling this way? Is there anything that helps them feel better, even just a little bit? Is there anything that helps them cope? (eg. having a shower, going for a walk, talking to a friend).
Yeah, i've met fake "friends" like this one. The only thing they can do is make you feel frustrated about having any friends at all. I only know about the "toxic" relationships between a man and a woman, as we started to use this term relatively recently. But is it convinient to talk about a toxic friendship in general? I think it is...
Hell yeah, friendships can be toxic! I cut out most of my "friends" during the worst of my depression when I realized that they liked me better when I was down than when I was up. You know, the people who are sympathetic when something goes wrong but can't feel happy for you when something good happens.Yeah, i've met fake "friends" like this one. The only thing they can do is make you feel frustrated about having any friends at all. I only know about the "toxic" relationships between a man and a woman, as we started to use this term relatively recently. But is it convinient to talk about a toxic friendship in general? I think it is...
^^^WHOA- I meant what I wrote about often being unsure what to say to someone, but... I can honestly say my people skills don't suck THIS bad! And I doubt very much that anyone else's here do, either.
Tom, I think that the close family and friends of people suffering with depression often have this experience of not knowing what to say. And it's hard sitting next to someone you love and feeling inadequate. Sometimes there is nothing that will help. Just being there and sitting in silence is better than not being there.
I have to agree with this. It helps to know you care but the depressive often doesn't want to talk about the difficulties s/he is having anyway. S/he will ask if s/he wants advice or an opinion. Just be aware that s/he might not be too talkative and otherwise, be yourself.
Wow...I didn’t get to read it in it’s entirety but as someone who doesn’t suffer from clinical depression, I found it to be incredibly sad and eye opening. I usually pride myself on being sensitive and knowledgeable on many things involving people and their emotions and I have seen first-hand what depression does through my friend. But this gives it a whole new dimension.
Val.
