[footfootfoot]

Yeah, what soul13 said. My kids watched me being depressed for the better part of a year. I would tell them many times that I wasn't feeling well, that I was sad, that I loved them, and that I needed to rest a lot. I explained to them it had nothing to do with them, and that it was like having a cold, but instead of sniffling it was being sad and tired.

They seemed to get it, they rolled with it, and I believe it was helpful for me to validate and confirm their observations.

Self blame is a big part of depression. A lot of people have this weird idea about depression meds but wouldn't think twice about taking antibiotics, thryroid medication, or insulin. Everything that happens in a human body is chemical and electrical, there is no magical etheric brain sauce that formulates thoughts and emotions. We're just a big pile of chemicals doing their thing and sometimes shit goes whack.

Tweaking the chemistry is a good starting place.

Allow yourself to be sick and start from there. You are not alone by a longshot. Especially on this board.