I think my parents are the cause of my depression

I'm 38 and currently in depression. All my life i've had mood problems, maybe dysthymia, and I think I discovered why my life has been so unhappy.

As a kid, I didn't talk too much to my parents. I was supported and congratulated when I had success (in school mostly) so I tried my best to excel in everything to receive their approval, their attention. But inside I was feeling lonely. I tried to always have a good friend or a girlfriend so I could feel close to someone because I felt so lonely at home. My parents always said to me that I gotta learn to overcome the challenges of life by myself, so I can be autonomous and self-sufficient. And I did. I reached a high degree in school, had a prosperous carreer, but now I'm in depression.
My parents are willing to help me, they are receptive to my pain and I share with them what I feel inside. Recently, my father wrote to me "life is a battle" so I asked him to share with me some difficulties he had in his life. I realised that I didn't know my parents very well, and I wished to be closer to them. His answer left me unsatisfied. He said " I understand that you don't know me very well because prefer to share the good news, not the bad news. At the moment, I think it's better if we talk about you, its you who's having a hard time".

I think that my parents never managed to share an intimate relationship with me. Being close to someone means there is RECIPROCITY. My parents always said that they care about me but it was a one-way relationship. They never shared with me their inside feelings, their mood or anything intimate. They act superficially, talking about the weather and the trips they make.

I'm not sure if my interpretation of the situation is correct. I'm not angry at them, they don't know that it had such consequences.

What's your opinion?

I am like this with my parents too.Less so with my mother as just recently she has started sharing by email some of her feelings about her life etc.Not so much my dad still.Old fashioned men dont talk about their feelings, it seems even with family.
Hard to say if that is where your issues stem from.
When did you first notice your depression?
Have you been on anti-biotics for a prolonged period of time in the past..or any type of hormone treatment/medication?
Im inclined to search health symptoms also before mental health ones when looking at depression.

Thanks for your commentary. You say something interesting:

"Old fashioned men dont talk about their feelings"

I agree.

But how come most of the people live well with that? Is it that their mother is able to answer their need to be close to someone? My mother don't talk about her feelings either, so I suffered a lot as a kid since I couldn't talk to anyone. Is everybody doing ok without the need to be close to their parents? Or they all have at least one of the to parent they can relate to?

Hmm good questions.
In my case i dont remember talking to either of my parents about feelings,i have trouble saying the words i love you to anyone but a girlfriend since my dad had issues and im sure my mother would have said that the odd time but i just dont remember hearing it as a kid or teenager.
I think parents not sharing their feelings and showing affection does have a strong effect on their kids.
When we are creating our rules for the enviornment we grow up in that enviornment and everyone in it(especially role models) effect what rules we go by socially.
Im stuck with the rule of not saying i love you to others.I try but its like a mental block and feels wrong or foreign..because it probably is foreign to me.I can just about do it by email to my mother...sometimes lol

But i also think different genes and experiences help create the personality.Im dominant on the right side of my brain.I have always been comfortable on my own as a kid and had no problem being sent to my room for punishments or anyone elses room.I was always creative with a good imagination to keep me company.Another child who is strongly on the left side of the brain might not have this strong ability to cope and sitting alone in a room could be a good punishment and effect them differently.
They may need more so company in general and attention from parents.
So many complicated elements that go into making us the personalities we are its hard to say for sure.
I remember being very independant emotionally when i was a kid.When i got beat up or anything i wouldnt tell my parents.
Id deal with it myself in my own introverted way.I think though that i didnt face my fears then and it haunts me still(at age 9 or so my friends turned on me in a pretty strong way).
Partly why i am joining an mma club to get the crap kicked out of me got to face those childhood fears or it will always be apart of you that has control.
I shut down when im in a group of people that i dont know intimitly.And i think it might be because i am on an unconscious level afraid something bad will happen again and i will once again be ridiculed and rejected.

Say hypothetically it was your parents that caused your depression.
What next?
also i am curious have you ruled out all other illnesses that cause depression?