Not everyone instinctively knows how to handle someone else’s depression.

Depression is a liar; there is no lie it won’t tell. It contributes to feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and overwhelming sadness. It takes the joy out of life and makes everything feel like a chore.

Depression may look different from person to person, but it has all of these things in common, as well as a reluctance on the part of sufferers to not burden their partners with their sorrow. People with depression tend to feel the burden of loneliness as they struggle to cope with a disease that drains them of their very will to live.

It’s hard to support a partner suffering with depression — but it’s not impossible. Depression is a chronic physical illness with invisible symptoms, and it’s an incredibly serious one. It’s not possible for someone who has never experienced it to understand how truly painful it is, but you will learn to look for the signs.

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