<p>The objective of this study was to explore the subjective experiences of social connectedness among individuals with depression.&#xa0;An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach was adopted to capture participants’ personal experiences on social connectedness. The study focused on factors that facilitated or impeded their sense of connection with others.&#xa0;Eight participants, were selected based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) diagnosis of depression disorder. Participants were excluded in this study if they had other diagnoses that significantly affected their condition. In-depth semi structured interviews were conducted with each participant, which lasted approximately an hour. The interviews were manually transcribed and analyzed using IPA to identify themes and subthemes.&#xa0;Analysis revealed three interlinked superordinate themes, each with specific subthemes. (a) “Depression Leads to Self-Cocooning” - Participants described having a perception of being a burden, a heightened sensitivity to perceived rejection and difficulties in building trust acted like a barrier for them to connect. (b) “Empathy as a Double-Edged Sword”- Empathy as a feeling was experienced ambivalently and it was perceived as both supportive and burdensome, creating complex relational dynamics for participants. (c) “I See You; I Hear You”- Participants noted that breaking stigma around depression, acceptance of their emotions, and receiving facilitative efforts from others helped them feel more connected. Additionally, participants described moments of self-compassion as key to feeling more socially connected.&#xa0;The qualitative approach provided insights into participants’ cognitive and emotional processes to understand the barriers and facilitative factors towards connectedness. The results have practical implications for therapy. It could add to the development of more empathetic and client-centered therapeutic approaches to improve meaningful connections.</p>