Thank you Muffy for being so open. Depression affects everyone in the family, not just the one with the diagnosis - I needed to hear your story to know that I'm not alone with the feelings I have as mom watching my son go through his depression. His attempt at suicide really threw me for a loop - trying to figure out where I/we went wrong to cause him to want to end his life. There seems to be a fine line, a tightrope if you will, that we're to walk. The right things to do or say, how to say it, etc.etc.etc. - it isn't easy for the person in depression and it isn't easy for those around trying to help either. If I could cut out all the misery, self doubt, pain that he's going through and absorb it all myself, I would but I can't and that's what stinks. I can't make him make good choices - I can only stand by and be there while he's going through the consequences. I just don't understand why.
Any way, thanks Muffy for sharing.