I was moved by this presentation about vulnerability. I think many of us who experience depression and other emotional problems have learned to cope by shutting down all our emotions and this perpetuates our depression. I have experienced great healing and improvement in my symptoms whenever I have found ways to allow myself to be vulnerable and feel and express emotions that I am scared to be exposed to like rejection and abandonment.

We fear vulnerability more than other people because we have experienced interpersonal pain at levels that were unbearable to us or at ages when we did not have the capacity to cope or process the emotional stress that we were exposed to.

Unfortunately, it is a very destructive coping skill. We may become cynical or stay stuck in emotional numbness or become bitter and aggressive. We lose our capacity to experience joy and feel alive in our attempt to suppress pain by not allowing ourselves to feel and be vulnerable.

I found the presentation helpful and easy to understand so I'm posting it hoping it can touch a chord with someone and maybe inspire you to do something that may be a breakthrough in your healing journey...

http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html