Its not like a love affair type of relationship But there is "connections" being in a support group you "connect" with a few people. you learn to like them and develop a trust and friendship for them and those in the groups also start developing a trust and caring for you.

When you stop without at least saying goodbye as a part of the group those that you connected with and those that started building up trust for you start worrying about you and then the brain starts messing with head games of what ifs and maybe's speculations and rumors and that ends up throwing everyone in the group off track. Without you saying goodbye, each week everyone is on eggshells wondering where you are, whats going on and so on. Not saying goodbye as a part of the group also leaves unansweed questions of shoulda, woulda, coulda's for the person dropping out.

So Its more an issue of having closure for you and those in the group, so that both you and the group members can move on and take care of what you all need to.

Also in the depression group that my therapy agency runs we have a tradition - the person "graduating" (attending their last group session regardless of why they are leaving the group) brings in a candle to light the way for the new people that come in after us. Some of us also exchange phone numbers, addresses and emails on our last day in the group.