Can depression cause you to feel like you've lost love for your friends and family?

The main person you will have difficulty loving when depressed is yourself. There is such low self esteem and such low hope levels that it's very difficult to feel love at all. The outside is only a reflection of the inside.........if there is no love for yourself on the inside, how is it possible to love anything on the outside? There is a child inside you looking for love.....isn't it about time you gave it some quality attention?...then the love for others would flow without effort.

Yes, it most certainly can. Depression is very difficult and affects millions of people and it's getting worse as the stress of the world rages on. The depressed person is spending all their energy trying to stay alive and looking for help so they have little energy for anything else.

When one is depressed they are usually lethargic, loss of appetite or eating too much, don't care what they look like, lose interest in their social life or jobs. It can be quite a crippling disease if not looked after.

Depressed people feel so low that they see little happiness in any aspect of their lives. They can become sexually dysfunctional, and lose most emotions. Example: If you saw a sad movie and you would usually cry, often a depressed person will either become more depressed over this scenerio or they will be void of feeling.

It's a good idea to see your doctor and be honest with him/her because there is help out there. Depression isn't forever if you get the right medication and treatments that are available.

Depression can manifest as a kind of numbness, a lack of feeling, or a sense of being incapable of feeling. See a therapist and discuss the options with regard to treatment.

Depression like said before for me (I have it) only makes me feel like I can't love myself but I can love others although to me it feels like no one can love me, no matter how much I love them no one cares about me. But it varies with every person that has depression because it will do what your mind thinks is worse not being able to love and feeling like no one can or will love you.

The above answers are quite valid. Keep in mind that depression affects different people in many different ways and its symptoms are as varied as the people who suffer from this illness.

You cannot love anyone else until you can love yourself. And something else to consider: sometimes depression can make you feel like you don't deserve to love or be loved. Or that your love is worthless.

See a doctor or therapist, please. There is no reason to suffer and be miserable. Everyone has the capacity to love and everyone deserves the chance to give and receive love.