The thing with serious depression is you can't cover it up and you generally can't run from it.
You lose interest in what you used to enjoy before.
You can't fix it by engaging in activities you used to enjoy.
You can't make it go away by numbing your mind with stimulants like food, alcohol, entertainment, sex, recreational/clinical drugs (please stay away from those poisonous "anti-depressants") YOU JUST CANT COVER IT UP WITH LAYERS
Chances are even you go on vacation or decide to move somewhere ...chances are even though the change in environment may make you feel bit better, lighter...but the root cause of depression will still follow you wherever you go, because you have not dealt with it
The root cause of depression is often a complicated mix of "issues", usually built up over time...something/s you have been suppressing inside for so long
Put in another way, how long you have been keeping yourself unhappy is a good indicator as to how serious your depression is/can get
So if ya can't cover it up, numb it to oblivion, or escape from it...what Can you do to help yourself?
Well...this is the painful part. You have to put the magnifying glass over what's been bothering you over the past few weeks, months, yrs.
I'm not a fan of journalling but write it all down. Everything little thing that's been bothering you. Chances are if it's still on your mind, it's important to you somehow, so just write it down.
The people you know/come across have not been treating you with the respect you deserve, someone robbed you of all your christmas spending moolah, you just noticed how bad your wrinkles are getting and how expensive botox is, your work has been slow, you want to move so bad and get away from your problems but you're tied down to your lease/mortgage, the weather's shitty, your gut is hanging out, you can't find the love of your life and not like you would have time for him/her anyway, you think of the future and you see nothing there, you don't know who you are, all those plans you made to achieve this to become that...seem so far away...is that what you really wanted...is that's what's truly best for you...and why does it all matter anyway, why does life have to be of great purpose...heck you just want to live...etc
Or you can go see those cold professional clinical psychologists, psychiatrists...and hope they don't secretly judge you as they go down the list of generic questions they ask everyone and you try to feel comfortable opening up to them...meanwhile fully aware they don't really give a fuck about you
Now you know you have to very careful what you say....because they can prescribe you mind numbing drugs which can help you kill yourself much easier, suggest putting you in the loony bin where they take away everything from you and put you in these "support" groups where everyone goes around the table discussing their problems, how they've tried to kill themselves, how many times....
Oh...sounds very beneficial, healing, positive, and therapeutic doesn't it??
No
Ok, so back to the journaling exercise. Yayyy
So you now have brought out all/most of the issues to the surface...kinda uncomfortable...but it's there on paper. THERE is the root cause of your depression.
You're truly sick of being depressed? Then go down the list and attack those problems aggressively.
I do want to add a disclaimer, your war on depression should not cause harm to others (or yourself)
You may experience anxiety, then you feel a rush like a heavy burden has been lifted off your shoulders your mind...
Often times we tend to blow things out of proportion than they really are...now that you are seeing your list from a wider perspective...is it really that bad?? That's what's been making your life Miserable?
Make sure you made that list and got it all down on paper. Keeping a list in your mind is just going to keep it there
You have to separate those problems from you.