Why am I so reculant to share my depression to others

This forum I am comfortable with posting my depression. And one dog forum. But I am reluctant to share it on other forums, including ones with dogs. I am not sure why I am fine with sharing it on that one & not others.

I can not even tell people I am not feeling ok, physically or emotionally. It has been the longest time since I have told someone I was sad. So i can not tell anyone about my depression. even if I want too.

I'm much the same. I find it so hard to let anyone know that I don't feel good. It took me 6 years to see my GP about my depression and my family didn't find out for another 2 years after that. There is something in me that stops me being open about how I feel and I'm yet to work out what it is. I just know that whenever someone asks me how I am all I will say is "I'm alright" even though that is normally far from the truth. It's something I need to work on, but it's hard.

I also don't tell anyone. Here I can be open because obviously that's why I'm here. I didn't tell my doctors, but they picked up on it different times. I don't know about you, but for me it seems like very personal information that I wouldn't share with most anyone.

Sometimes I feel the same way, but for the most part things have changed. I suddenly felt so cornered and that I had nowhere to hide. I broke, and it had to come out, all of it. And trust me, some of the reasons for how I feel the way I do are super embarrassing, but I just don't care anymore.

You should try to force yourself to be open and honest about it. I think you'll find that people will respond the same way, and most will want to help you if you just ask

Hello, The Fox & the Hound. One of the hardest things I have had to do is to admit to myself I needed help. Ego, embarrassment, shame, etc., got in the way. Unfortunately, there is a stigma. More unfortunately, getting help is no guarantee of getting better; but you do increase the odds.

What convinced me to get help was also acknowledging I was miserable and what I was doing was not working.

Getting better is hard work. There are no shortcuts. Each of us must decide if we are more fearful of staying as we are or risking making changes that are necessary with the guidance of a professional.

Perhaps of interest:

Psychotherapy - Psych Central
5 Things Not to Worry About in Therapy | World of Psychology
6 Ways to Open Up and Talk in Therapy | World of Psychology
Finding Low-Cost Psychotherapy | Psych Central

I do not blame anybody that does not feel like disclosing their depression. Besides feelings of embarrassment, etc., there is social stigma. IMO, trying to avoid the stigma attached to depression is natural. Stigma is a priori. It is a very powerful reason to keep us silent about our depression. Also, stigma operates at many levels, even shaping our behavior. Of course, feeling comfortable talking about depression is much better than having to deal with it alone. That is why mental health awareness is so important. By openly talking about our depression we do not only help ourselves but help to shape a better future for newcomers to depression. But, it is hard, too hard

I think here is where you can feel comfort, knowing that others are fighting similar battles as you. Fighting similar battles in fighting the stigma as well. So you feel comfort that after the battle with judgmental people, the last thing they wish onto others is judging the people who have similar battle scars as them. So here's (personally) my comfort zone.

I guess for the outside world, it's the the stigma. I reluctantly talk about my illness too.. to the point where I got fired from my job because of it. Just because I'm on medication.

I think the stigma is a major reason why people don't talk, either that or the lack of understanding. To some, depression is just having a bad attitude or being sad.

Depression is also a struggle, and a struggle is a vulnerability. Many people are afraid of showing their vulnerabilities to others, even if there's no stigma surrounding it.

UI especially like the sentence about lack of understanding. Even to disclose anxiety, to those who've not experienced it, there's little understanding. I've learned on PC, actually, anxiety has a wide range. Even depressive illnesses seem to have a wide range.

At least here, imo, one can mention depression and there's an empathetic comprehension.

IRL, one almost needs to play on words, to drive the point home.

Despondency, melancholic and exhausted are a couple of my favorite words.

I guess, Fox and the Hound, when you're desiring to share, ask what you are hoping to gain?



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This is the only place I come that I am 'open' about my thoughts and feelings. I still censor myself to some degree even here. I think it's the anonymity here that allows me to be able to express my truths...yet, a certain level of paranoia remains. A part of me worries after every post that authorities will come bust down my door and lock me away somewhere.
Anywhere else, I don't share. I've tested the waters a few times with things I felt were minor issues compared to my overall thought process, and the reactions were so negative that there's just no way I could share the true darkness.

I feel the same way. Too scared and embarrassed to talk to a doc about how I feel. Plus I live in a very small town, so I feel like everyone would find out. I'm looking for answers and help on this forum.

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Yeah, this is a pretty safe forum. I've been on other "support" forums where religious types can proselytize in the atheist/agnostic section, atheists can snark in the religious support sections, and straight men can post in the GLBT section about how gross it would be to meet a transwoman. No discipline whatsoever, though the last thread was removed after I complained to staff.

I have trouble opening up to people outside of this forum too...so many people just don't quite understand. I'm trying to get better about it, though. I guess the only way people WILL understand is if you tell them about it.

I don't share it. It's lonely and makes times of deep depression almost unbearable. But I just couldn't handle the rejection, condescension or pity. Understanding is something you can't expect. I understand to a person who does not suffer from this disease gets some comfort and sense of superiority or thinking that we can just suck it up and that we are just weak. I cannot bear the thought of someone thinking me weak...if they only knew.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I can't really tell anyone in my family.