A, You have to trust in God. They do work on their issues in their own way. Self-medicating soothes the pain, but the depression keeps him in the fog. We don't always see them working on their issues because those issues are internal. Their pain is very real and it's not like you or I would expect it to be. They do not deal w/issues like we would. Unfortunately, I can't answer just how they do this, but they do.
Yes, they will periodically peek out. They generally do this when the depression lifts just a little bit. They can also do this if they sense you are doing something different and not right where they left you when he went into crisis.
Yep, each and every one of them deals with it differently. That's why it's important to read as much as you can about depression.
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
