Severe depression implies that it's on going and lengthy, in my experience it becomes part of your personality and not a symptom, you just are the Eeyore and bringing the vibe down is not nice to feel when you already feel like shit, it takes energy to exist
30-40 year old men have no 18 year old male friends.
Never do they see a teen boy and think they are mentally, socially or emotionally equal.
But they will meet an 18 year old girl and say
"we just have so much in common"