How do I deal with accusations?
Accusations of not being taken seriously or understood are often heard as a member of a depressed person’s family, even if you make an effort to help your partner. The same applies here as for the aggressions described above: Keep calm, do not take it personally and talk about the underlying worries and feelings. The person affected usually knows when his or her accusations are unfounded. Otherwise, this problem must also be addressed in therapy.
How do I deal with the accusation of a lack of understanding of depression?
In a way, the depressed partner is right: if you have never experienced depression, you may not know this feeling of powerlessness in the face of the bursting loads. Nevertheless, you can do your best to understand the other person’s emotional state. If the other person has the feeling of not being understood, he/she must explain his/her situation again. The most important thing is not to understand your partner completely, but to make him realize that you are there for him and that he is not alone.
