I had a similar situation when I overdosed a few months ago & I ended up e-mailing a friend who lives several states away & knows I suffer from depression (she has had bouts of it,too). I told her what happened & I never heard from her again. It's been 5 mos. We've known each other for 30 years--raised our kids together.

My father especially didn't want to hear about or acknowledge that I had any depression issues (my mother was bp & committed suicide so he's had enough of the mentall illness deal). He couldn't cope with me & basically ignored me & actually found another lady that he started introducing as his daughter (she wasn't but she was his type of yacht club party hostess that I definitely wasn't!) Long story on that one! Talk about dysfunctional.

But when he was dying he suddenly got all sentimental (the party girl daughter disappeared as soon as he became too ill to participate in the yacht club functions) & I pretended like we had a relationship. I did what I called my "duty visits." They were very hard for me. I had been rejected by this guy & now I had to pretend we had a relationship, but I did it & I think it was the right thing to do. I offerred someone suffering some comfort. But I still grieve that I never really had a father (or a mother).--Suzy