not important unless that person has depression too and understands you. thats why this site is so awesome.

I prefer no one to know that I have depression. I keep all of my mental health problems to myself the only ones who know is my children, I keep people at an arms lengths.

Try and let another adult in, it could be beneficial. As a kid growing up with a mental ill mom. I would stress try not to vent to them. It scarred me. I feel I saw things I shouldn't have. But those were the cards I were dealt. Now I have kids and sometimes I feel I'm becoming my mom. It's very sad dealing with depression with kids.

Friendship is a hard one. I don't have many friends. I see other groups of ladies out and wish I did have a group or sister to do girl things with. I don't connect with many people being "different". I find myself as an outsider when around others. I have isolated so much I don't even really care to be around people except my kids and parents and brother.
I do this so I won't mess up. Meaning if I am not around anyone actions or words cannot of others cannot bother me or cause me to say or do something out of anxiety. I like being alone. I am safer that way.

I have two friends who deal with mental illness. While we don’t sit around discussing our illnesses, I feel comfortable enough with them I can pretty much be myself. No one outside my family ( who I really don’t talk to about my depression) and these two friends know anything about me.