I, too, have come to similar conclusions. The average person just doesn't have the ability to understand or help someone suffering with depression. And at times I think their attempts to uplift us just make us feel more alone. Like hankster recommends--a therapist who is trained to help us move forward is part of the answer. It seems many are also intimidated by those who display emotions and frames of mind that are out of the norm. I've found this forum to be excellent and I look to find depression support groups where people meet on a weekly basis.