I spent most of my adult life struggling with bouts of depression - over and over I would be told pray more, go out in service more (was a pioneer), more personal study, etc etc etc. Those were the nice comments. Then there were the ones that were less nice like "oh you must be doing something or have done something to block Jehovah's spirit". Guilt guilt guilt.
When I left there was some rough times as I transitioned after 30+ years as a born in to a "worldly person". However, slowly the overwhelming depression lifted to a very manageable content life. I graduated college, became a mom, settled into the cliche PTO middle age career mom thingy. Not perfect but I'm relatively happy.
A few years ago I ran into a close relative who is also an elder. He actually talked to me for quite awhile. Because he is a relative he had heard through the grapevine how well my life was going and he told me everyone (The congregation/friends) were actually kind of angry/perplexed because I was doing so well - so much better. I outright told him when all the needless constant guilt and unreal expectations went away do did my depression. As a witness I had been born to fail. He had no reply. He didn't get angry. He just got this look in his eye like "yeah, I get it". I found out shortly after that through the grapevine that he had been dealing with his own issues with internal elder politics.
Shortly, after that I ran into another elder, one who had actually been on my judicial committee. He was always a very sweet older brother and said that I looked like I was doing really well. I said yes I was. He said he and his wife missed me, but obviously things were going well for me and left it at that.
Deep down I think a lot of those in really really know it is not a healthy environment.