It sounds like H has made some positive progress. It would be expected for him to be withdrawn and slowly start to reach out. This reaching out, this reconnecting, will be in the opposite order of BD and damages done - from least to most.
First reconnecting would be pets as they are the most nonjudgemental and least blamed, then friends, extended family, parents, kids, you the spouse will be last. There likely will be some shuffling of the mid-list people’s priorities as each MLCer has different pressures and torments and lashes/lashed out differently.
Originally Posted by jessieht
I hate to use the word depressed because it wasn't all sadness per-say but just wanting to hide from the world.
Depression isn’t sadness. Yes, there is a sadness component or associated feeling, yet depression is more not being able to find pleasure in things, the reason to get out bed, that thing that puts a spring in your step. So, yes, wanting to hide away from the world is indicative of depression.
Depression is perfectly normal. And positive progress. One has to traverse depression on their journey to acceptance. It’s part of grief. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Depression is a normal and very healthy step. It needs to occur.
Grief, especially depression, will be over when it’s over. And not one second sooner. One just keeps putting one foot in front of the other, doing their inner work, acknowledging whatever feelings arise from the void from that numb indifference, and then one day things start to be less grey.
My own depression lasted months and months. My world was grey. Devoid of joy, both sight and sound. I still recall the day I heard a bird sing, again. I realized I saw color, again. Oh my! Such a moment!
It still took weeks to exit depression. Like the starting of the grey melting away, the complete absence of it, was unnoticed until sometime after it was all done.
Depression, just live the moments, and they eventually get better and better. Know it. Believe it. For you won’t feel it, while within it. (((Hugs)))
Hope you have a wonderful Sunday.
D
Feelings are fleeting. Be better, not bitter. Love the person, forgive the sin.
