Hello An, and welcome to the site, the question you've asked is a very confusing one when you're not usually having to cope with it.
If I can possibly answer this, as I was the one with depression in our marriage, but you need to realise that someone struggling with depression, anxiety just like I was, is that it's virtually impossible for this particular person to say that they love you, like they did when you first met, it's not that they don't, it's because this illness prevents them from saying it.
It's also very difficult after a counselling session to ask him 'how did it go today', you might not be told anything or just a blunt answer that won't satisfy your curiosity, please don't be too alarmed, whatever is talked about is between the counsellor and him, he won't let you know because you might ask questions about why was that said, which could disrupt his believe he has in this person, so he'll say nothing and this could be what you are referring to as miscommunications.
So to answer, it's most likely his depression causing this, what happens is that we tend to close ourselves off to everyone, but it is possible when you have a group of friends around, he'll most likely be happy and laugh along with any jokes made, but as soon as they go, he'll fall back into depression, this is also what happened to me.
Please ask any question you like.
Take care.
Geoff.