Quick where's the relationships topics?

[Ashley]

One of my close friends suffers greatly with mental illness, it's depression, the kind with a lot of self blame, self hate, and paranoia. In some regards her and I relate to the battle, the loss of energy, the loss of focus, the relativity of what

constitutes

a good day or even happiness. She's really a gentle soul but right now she seems to think that I rejected her. I didn't but I cut a conversation short because I was cold, and very tired, and ready to go inside. She can't come in my home because she has 2 dogs and they would scare my birds. On top of that, our 3rd friend in this triangle is also having big issues with this woman. One because she's unreliable, will say shes coming over and 5 hours later she still isnt there and no phone call. And 2 because shes got some end of the world-satan is running things now kind of religious ideas that she feels compelled to share with us in order to save our souls before judgement day, which my third friend just can not deal with at all. It has led to the first friend saying things like shopping is satanic, (while we are out shopping), etc. So, although we love her, she is very ill, and sometimes I am just not sure. Actually, after writing this out, I will call her. It's just that I hate to feel blamed for rejecting her (which I didn't) just because of her paranoia, you know? and sometimes you just don't know what to say anymore.

There is also another person who is a passing

acquaintance

who thinks I told him to f-off the other day when in fact I was talking to my dog, who was pissing me off by not listening. It's already been explained to him by a 3rd party that I was in fact talking to my dog but he wants to continue to believe I was talking to him. Seems pathological to me and I'm not sure if I should deal with it. He works in my building so I do see him coming and going out the shared front door.

[GuitarGirl]

Sometimes we hold ourselves accountable for others feelings and it has nothing to do with us! The hard part is not feeling responsible.

[Ashley]

Ah thanks! Things have cleared up with the friend. Just gave her some time, and then when I did call her I just told her about my own struggles with being down and told her I hoped she was doing okay. We are doing fine now. The other guy, well, I've kind of stopped worrying about him.

[DepressedAussie]

Don't take it personally. A lot of times when I am depressed I hear people say things they didn't actually say, it's just my interpretation of what they said. I'm working on this with my partner right now, trying to help her understand and also trying to stop reading so much into what people say. It's not paranoia, it's just that I always hear that someone is blaming me or that I am worthless and bad when really they are just asking me to take the trash out

Best way to deal with it is to keep those lines of communication as open as possible.