When Depression Creates Distance in Your Relationships—How to Reconnect

Depression and disconnection often go hand-in-hand. That can even be true for your closest and most intimate relationships. 

Unfortunately, when you are depressed, your relationship may also become depressed in a sense. That is often caused by a variety of feelings and moods depression can stir up. Additionally, when you struggle with depression, you may often feel disconnected from yourself. And, as a result, it becomes harder to feel connected to others. 

So, what can you do to reconnect in your relationships? How can you feel a sense of closeness with those that matter to you when you are struggling with symptoms of depression every day? 

Understand Your Depression

Not everyone experiences depression in the same way. Some people are more high-functioning than others and can get through their days with the appearance of some normalcy. Additionally, you may have some days that “feel better” than others. Though people stereotype depression as the desire to stay in bed all day, every day, that is not always the case. 

One of the best things you can do to work through the distance depression creates in your relationships is to feel more connected with yourself and your symptoms. Learn to better understand your depression. What are the underlying causes? What are your most common symptoms? And reflect on your interactions every day. What did you do throughout your day that was fueled by your depression? 

When you have a better understanding of how you respond to things, you can start to work on reconnecting with yourself. And that will, in turn, pave the way to reconnecting with others. 

Let Someone In

Whether you discuss your depression with your partner, a family member, or a close friend, it is a good idea to let someone in.

Granted, you have to be ready to have an open discussion. But once you understand your thoughts and feelings and how you respond to them, you can start to let the people who matter most to you know those responses. Explain to them that some days, your depression might make you want to isolate yourself from everyone else. Other days, you may feel lonely and need someone to talk to. 

It might not be an easy conversation to have and could be even harder for someone else to hear. But once those closest to you understand what you are going through, they are more likely to be empathetic rather than feeling rejected by you. 

Make Connections a Priority

Depression will likely cause you to feel like turning inward more often than outward. Isolation is tempting. You may not want to spend time with people you love or do the things you typically enjoy doing. 

But in order to reconnect, it is important to make that connection a priority. That may require you to fight back against what your mind is telling you to do. In the end, being isolated and alone can make you feel worse and end up sinking you further into a depressed state. 

So, while you may not always feel like reaching out to the people in your life, making that struggle against your tendency to isolate a priority can end up really helping you in the long run. 

Find the Help You Need

Depression is not something that you have to go through alone. Having a strong support system in your life will make a difference in how effectively you end up handling your symptoms and working through them. 

Aside from having the support of family and friends, talking with a mental health professional can also make a lasting difference. Feel free to contact me if you are struggling with the effects of depression. Together, we can work on discovering the underlying cause(s), ways to manage your symptoms, and how you can reconnect with the important relationships in your life.