I have an opinion on why we come to these support forums...it is probably due to the fact that we feel more likely to find someone with a sympathetic ear/set of eyes...I come to that conclusion because of my own experience with it, limited as it is. I try to talk with my wife about my depression, but she cannot handle it. I certainly can't talk with my teen-aged son about it - dad is supposed to be all-powerful in his eyes still...I cannot talk with my family about it...they just don't understand. I can't go to therapy every day because that is too expensive...

Like Lee said, if you have one close friend who "gets it", then you can rely on that person. I'm fortunate enough to have a friend, but he's 3000 miles away. When we talk, it is great...

But there are other times when you just need to tell your story to someone who has only an imaginary picture of who you really are in their mind...you know, they've never met you. So maybe that is why we come to these forums. We reach out, and we connect. I know that I wait with quiet anticipation to see who has replied to my postings. I'm grateful when someone does. I'll probably never in a million years meet that person, but will always take solace in knowing that someone has cared, even if it was just for the time that they typed these words, and even if it was just for a minute.

So keep coming back to these, and perhaps one day you will be on the other side of depression - I was on the other side of it for most of my life (until very recently, but now have had about 3 years of depression on and off)...and from the other side you can still come back to these forums and lend support.

that's just my two-cents...

Best wishes to you...