[afighter808]

I'm having the hardest time trying to explain to my loved ones that A) I don't know why I'm sad all the time, B) I don't know why I think everything is my fault, C) I would fix myself if I could.

Please help, if you can, because I'm having the hardest time with this, especially since I don't know any answers that they are asking for.
I don't know, I'm just at my wits end.

[(JD)]

You don't. They won't understand. No one who hasn't been truly depressed can fully understand. You might get a T to try and explain it to them, that way at least it's coming from a professional and they might stop asking simply out of embarrassment (that they can't acknowledge that they didn't understand what the T said )

Depression is a medical illness. When the term "imbalance of chemicals in the brain" is used, it means that either the brain isn't making enough of the normal happy chemical you need, or that the brain isn't using the chemical that is being made.

Why do you feel it's your job to educate them? Ask them to review the information and help YOU understand why you feel so sad...to help you in that way.

Depression tells us lies. That's part of why you feel everything is your fault. Like you would feel this way instead of happy, if you had a choice? I don't think so, do you?

Tell them to ask a doctor to explain depression to them. Hang in there.

[afighter808]

Thank you so much!!! That made me feel so much better.

[DePressMe]

I have struggle with all three of your issues…I don’t have any magic answers. I had to just keep talking with them about it. I also kept giving them numerous articles to read. I think that I finally have them convinced that this really is an illness just like diabetes or something. But, of course, the hardest person to convince was myself.