However, when we are depressed, being reminded of other people's suffering only serves to increase our self-hatred.

When a depressed person shrinks away from your touch it does not mean he is rejecting you. Rather he is protecting you from the foul, destructive evil which he believes is the essence of his being and which he believes can injure you.

After all I've done for you' has alienated more children from their parents than any act of parent cruelty.

...we can love someone without understanding that person.

The problem with growing up fearing and expecting rejection is that you cannot enter into adult relationship in the expectation of happiness.

...for if we try to go on protecting them we prevent them from growing up to be ordinary, confident adults, capable of looking after themselves.