[edit] Replying to myself: I'll go a little further. Past few years have been extremely hard for me, haven't been able to concentrate for ~6 months to the poin

[edit] Replying to myself: I'll go a little further. Past few years have been extremely hard for me, haven't been able to concentrate for ~6 months to the point of not mentally being able to work (had to sign off sick (am in the UK)) and just starting to get back to work next week 1 day a week, unpaid. I can just about keep my clothes clean, and mostly keep my flat clean. I'm mentally very unwell to the point of being unable to go to the pub and socialise as I used to. I was unwell to the point of being a danger to other people (am over that now, thank god. Yes, I did talk to the doc). I am coping, barely. I have no current interest in life, music, little interest in other people etc. I'm abusing drugs and alcohol as a way of coping, though in the long term I know that's a bad idea (and I draw a clear distinction between drug use/drug abuse, entirely independent from what's legal/illegal). Point is, I feel justifiably terrible but I'm not clinically depressed. For sure I'm down, but I'm nowhere near the utter destructive blackness that is real depression, and I'm bloody grateful for it. So I can't see what you describe as depression in any way that I can comprehend. (NB, life sucks but any sympathy you can shove up your arse. I'd much prefer you took the piss, at least in a nice way. At least I'd get a laugh out of it).