Posted by mist on October 5, 2000, at 1:59:08
What can a depressed person say to friends (and others) who you know can’t deal with depression, loneliness, sadness? (Or simply aren’t interested in hearing about it.) I have to come up with things to talk about yet usually when I’m alone, I focus on feelings, thoughts, ideas not what I did or will be doing on the weekend or this year or with my life (like they do). I don’t care that I can’t get support from these people because I’m sure there will be others I can get support from (as I have before). And in one way I like not being able to “talk depressed” to some people so that the depression doesn’t take over my life—it’s not all that I’m about. But I can’t think of things to say that are upbeat yet not total lies. I think I’ve just gotten in the habit of having downer, negative conversations and don’t know how to break out of it. The fact is, there is nothing exciting going on in my life and I hardly ever make plans to do anything due to lack of motivation and energy. At the same time I enjoy simple things like a good cup of coffee and sometimes being amused by the absurdity of life, and I spend a lot of time looking for solutions to my problems (reading, information gathering, etc.). The particular people I’m talking about wouldn’t understand that and sometimes I feel more depressed when I talk to them (but maybe I’m depressing myself with what I’m saying to them?). I feel like not returning their calls but then my supply of friends would dwindle even further…
poster:mist
thread:838
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20000813/msgs/838.html