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Relationships and Major Depressive Disorder: Navigating Love and Friendship

Amanda Workman's avatar image

By Amanda Workman

3 min read

While relationships are complicated, major depressive disorder (MDD) can multiply the complications of acquiring and maintaining relationships. MDD can affect a variety of relationships, such as friendships and romantic associations.

I hope this article can be useful for those looking to understand the effects of MDD on their relationships or those who are looking to support a loved one with MDD.

Depression's impact on friendships

Major depressive disorder can have a massive impact on relationships, including friendships. There are a variety of effects that MDD can have on friendships. These might include:

  • Loss of interest – MDD is accompanied at times by a strong loss of interest or pleasure in activities. This can cause me to have little or no interest in social activities, making friends feel neglected or unimportant. In some cases, I make plans but then cancel them.
  • Reduced communication – Some individuals find it difficult to communicate and connect with other people due to their MDD. This can lead to a strain on friendships, and in some cases, it could result in the end of a friendship.
  • Decreased support – When friends seek support, it can be difficult for me to provide the proper support to my friends. Additionally, it can be difficult to support me – the person with MDD. Friends may feel overwhelmed or under-prepared to support a friend with depression, especially if they do not understand MDD.
  • Feeling like a burden – Those living with MDD may feel as though they are a burden to the friends in their circle. This can unfortunately lead us to withdraw further.

Feeling like a burden and fearing rejection

Over the years of living with major depressive disorder, I have struggled to maintain multiple friendship relationships. I have a huge tendency to feel like I am a burden on other people, especially when I get overwhelmed.

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I have my days where I can handle having a conversation and other days when I can barely manage to function, much less chat. Not everyone in my life has understood that some days I simply cannot hold a long conversation. Additionally, I live with rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD). This means that I am very sensitive to rejection, negative judgment, and exclusion.

I have 2 very close friends. Thankfully for my sake, they both deal with similar conditions as me. This helps a lot because they understand what I am living with on a deeper level than anybody else in my life.

Depression's impact on romantic relationships

Major depressive disorder also has a major impact and a variety of effects on romantic relationships, things like:

  • Communication challenges – MDD can lead to difficulties with communication. This includes things like expressing emotions, desires, or needs. It can lead to frustration in both partners, as well as create misunderstandings, dissatisfaction, or distance between partners.
  • Social withdrawal – My depression also can lead to social withdrawal. This withdrawal can mean a lack of communication with other people or no desire to attend social functions.
  • Taking on more of the load – Partners of individuals with MDD may take on additional responsibilities. These might include providing extra emotional support or managing an increased amount of household tasks, which may lead to feelings of of resentment. This can also me feel like a burden.
  • Changes in libido – Libido may be affected due to the MDD itself or the medications. This may create feelings of undesirability and frustration within both partners.
  • Shame – The stigma associated with mental health conditions is still a major issue. Some people living with MDD may be so ashamed that they choose to hide their symptoms from even their partners. Others may find themselves too ashamed to seek therapy, leaving their partner confused and frustrated.

Communication issues in my romantic relationships

There have been a lot of communication issues within my romantic relationships. I struggle to express myself, but also get upset when I feel like my partner is not considering my needs enough. It takes a lot of work between myself and my partner to improve my communication with them.

The shame that I have experienced in my relationship with my MDD and romantic relationships has been more about my partner sharing my diagnosis without permission. I feel like my diagnosis is my business, not everyone else's.

Navigating relationships together

Depression can have major effects on friendships and romantic relationships. These effects can present unique challenges for both individuals with depression and their loved ones.

Over the years I have learned that proper support and coping strategies can assist in overcoming these relationship challenges.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Depression.Mental-Health-Community.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.