depression ruining a relationship..help!: I can't believe how familiar all of this sounds!

» Mach1 - I can't believe how familiar all of this sounds!

I've been with my current Girlfriend for about 6 months, I knew she suffered from depression from the outset but i'm a pretty laid back guy and I thought I could deal with it, Wrong!.

The last few weeks have been terrible, she stopped her taking her medication on the basis she felt slightly better and the side effects were getting her down. Gradually things have got her more and more down. It really came to a head at the beginning of last week, when we finally cleared the air over a few things. She told me the way she felt had been building over the past couple of weeks.

Today she emailed me and said she wanted me to "give her some space" for a couple of weeks. What really hurts is that she's locking me out. I can understand she wants to be left alone at times but on the other hand this is the woman I love and I feel I should be there for her. She turns to her best friend, who also suffers, for support and I just feel like i'm left on the sidelines.

We live apart at the moment so I can back away, but one day we hope to move in together and it won't be so easy for either of us then if we remain as we are.

She's got a lower dose of medication and is going to counselling, but at this moment i'm feeling extremely confused and hurt.

I really do love her but it's killing me at the minute!

-- posted by Mach1