I have a similar situation. My therapist said that people can't help me and support me if they don't know I am having a hard time (I am really good at hiding it and acting like everything is okay). So I was trying to be mildly honest about how I was feeling with some friends who I thought would support me. Well, it ended up that they thought I should just "decide to be happy" as if I was deciding not to be happy or something. They wanted me to just snap out of it and stop acting sad/angry or whatever. It really hurt because I expected support and encouragement from them and all they could do was tell me to suck it up and drive on. So much for that whole "tell people you are hurting" theory.

People just don't understand and don't want to think that something is wrong in their perfect little world. They want everything to be in their control and to look perfect. But it's not, and none of us choose to "act this way" it is either a chemical imbalance that none of us can help or control or it is the result of a traumatic experience (traumatic to us, not necessarily to anyone else) which we cannot help or control either, or a combination of both IMHO. So, no answers for you here but I sympathize.