My friend and I both like each other and have both said we would like to be in a relationship when the time is right, but he has really bad depression and I still feel like we are distant.

He has given me a lot of good advice in the past to help me and my depression and anxiety and things that have helped him, and we are very good friends and have been for 3 years, so I know he cares about me too. He was doing a lot better for a while, and during that time we got a lot closer and talked a lot. But he got bad again, and the difference in communication is clear and it hurts so bad.

I don't want to take his behavior personally because I know he is trying his best, and he really is sweet and supportive of me. But at the same time my anxiety is telling me that he is distant because he actually doesn't care or that he is taking advantage of my feelings for him. I talked to him about it, and he says he does care and have feelings for me too, but my brain just won't believe him.

I don't want to abandon him because I know he would never to that to me if the roles were reversed.

But how do we continue to support each other when neither of us believe we deserve to be loved?