Dear SilvaLady (with a warm wave to GKMH)~
First GKMH I hope you are managing, I'd like to say something to SilvaLady if you don't mind.
It is extremely common for people to be reluctant to talk to those close to them about how they feel, and as a result many just bottle it all up.
OK there are times when you do have to explain, "I don't want to do this becuse ..." or "I feel hopeless and no point ... "and so on. You have to do this not only to explain your behavior but to get practical help . Being driven to the doctor being an example of course.
This can in fact be quite difficult for those without experience themselves to deal with, , and often conversations are stilted or miss the point as there is no road-map or easy fix. Everyone ends up feeling bad. Obviously it is not always like that , people driven by care will go to great lengths.
However there is another side. It is quite ok to have conversations that do not directly deal with symptoms or the dark feelings one is having. I often find gentle talk about our pets gives me a lift, they all have their own characters, Nasty Cat is as you would expect, Sumo cat is overlarge, and Foxy Dog looks like a fox.
Talking of their interactions does sooth the mind.
I'm not saying this is limited to pets (though they are a pretty good subject) but can be anything that develops feelings of security and peace.
Kids can say "(Mummy/Daddy/insert person here) please read me a story - I want that one." The child knows the story perfectly well, in fact will probably have favorites, however the reading aloud together develops calm, security, peace.
Sumo is on his special plush blanket by my left elbow, actually has one eye open 'supervising', looks supremely relaxed.
So really you may have more than one way of gettng support from those around you, and actually they might enjoy some of it too
Does this sort of make any sense?
Croix
