Ask Julie: Could My Grandfather's Death Be Causing Depression?

[dropcap]Q: [/dropcap] I saw my grandfather die when I was young, and it was very painful because he was like a dad to me.  Ever since my grandfather's death, I've been having trouble maintaining my relationship with others, whether it's friends or family members. I try to distant myself away from them in fear of getting hurt again.  I have trouble letting people in my life and tend to disassociate myself from being involved in a romantic relationship with anyone. As a result, I can't truly love or care for anyone. Although thinking about my grandfather made me very feel sad and depressed at first, now I'm not as sad as I used to be, and I feel guilty for not being sad and I would force myself to think about his death over and over again and make myself feel bad and cry myself to sleep. I also feel pressured by my parents to do well in school and life, and it's almost as if I'm letting them down and becoming that worthless and useless person I was when I stood there and watched my grandfather die.  Whenever I feel useless and think I'm such a failure or that I might not live up to other's expectations, I want to die. I have suicidal thoughts almost everyday and wish I were dead but never actually thought of committing a suicide. I also feel irritated very often recently and just want to be left alone. I gave up or got bored of things I used to love doing.  This is ruining my life, and I think I seriously need help.[dropcap]A: [/dropcap] You are very insightful about your thoughts and feelings, and I agree with you - you do need help as soon as possible. It sounds as if you are suffering from severe depression. It is not uncommon for the death of a loved one, especially someone you are really close to, to turn into longer-term depression.  Please seek therapy immediately. Watch the video for the complete answer.Take good care of yourself!Julie Hanks, LCSW