i'm sorry you're going through this. i mean both the depressive episode and the lack of support from your husband. it's surprising how many people do not believe depression (or any other mental health issue) is a valid diagnosis. but believe me i've encountered many such people. it's possible your husband dismisses depression as a diagnosis because he's never (or rarely) dealt with it himself. for unknown reasons depression strikes women much more frequently than men. a couple of thoughts come to mind. first is to take your husband with you to your doctor so he or she can explain depression to your husband. or take your husband to see your psychotherapist for an explanation. maybe this will help sway him to understanding. meanwhile i invite you to connect with others in webmd's depression community and support group. these folks are dealing with many of the same issues you are and they may have suggestions for you. at the very least you may feel comforted being able to discuss these issues in a safe environment. i wish you all the best!
how do you help someone understand depression when they don't belive depression exists? . i have suffered from depression on and off through the years (diagnosed with clinical depression at age 12). i have been having a difficult time lately and have recently started taking an antidepressant. my husband doesn't believe or understand anything about depression. he thinks you should be able to just "shake it off" and move on. how do i get him to understand that depression is real and i need his support to get better?