Life Happens-

I, too, have been just like your fiance. He's very lucky to have someone who is aware and trying to help him deal with his issues. I think a good step forward is just to really ask him and have a conversation about what he wants you to do to handle his episodes, specifically. "Just be yourself" isn't an answer. Does he want to be left alone? Does he want to be held? Does he want the drama? Maybe he just wants a cup of tea and a distraction? I know for me, when I used to have those episodes, I'd also tell my husband to leave me. I'd tell him I was leaving him. Once I even walked outside in a rainstorm and tried to walk across the county, thinking irrationally that I would find a place to spend the night away from him. I eventually came home. All of it stemmed from me thinking "I can never be good enough for him". I really felt that he would never be happy as long as I was around. And it took me taking the step to find medication (therapy wasn't enough for me) to pull me out of that fog and begin seeing life realistically. You're doing the right thing by searching for answers. Get as much information on depression as you can. I know, for me, I absolutely never wanted to be left alone. I asked my husband to just try and ignore anything I might say in that moment and stay with me. Sometimes I needed him to sit there and argue with me until we reached a breaking point. Sometimes I needed to sleep with him by my side. And he made sure that he had support, too. He found a good friend that he could talk to about what I was saying and what had been happening, so that he wasn't living in my depressed little world all alone. I think that is important for you to find, too. A good deal of partners of those of us who have depression will develop depression themselves. I will have you on my heart and mind. Let us know what we can do to help. If you feel like you need to speak to someone individually, send me a message. My husband will help me answer, too, as to how he feels and how he has found help in dealing with my issues. (He loves that I'm on this site because I share with him more now)