If anyone has any question about their mental health. Do not wait one more day! Go to a good psychiatrist, get a proper diagnosis and the medication that you need. Don't let stigma or ignorance by anyone stop you from getting the help you need. It is your life, not theirs.
I've suffered with chronic severe depression my entire life. I've also been a chronic worrier. I had years crying outbursts as a child. So many times I was at the brink of killing myself. The stigma and the ignorance about mental health is causing thousands of suicides in this country every year. No one in my life, not the school system, until a girlfriend when I was in my mid 20s, had recognized the signs and urged me to see a psychiatrist. Because she persisted and helped me push past my Dad's ignorance and judgement, fear of what family and friends would think, fear of the unknown and learned fear of psychiatric medication, I was able to get a proper diagnosis and medication. Talk therapy helped, but I needed medication too. When you are in the emergency room wrything in physical pain they don't schedule you for talk therapy a month ahead and send you home. They hook a morphine drip to you immediately. It can take years to find the right meds, but it must be done. I want a cure for depression, no one even talks about finding cures for mental illnesses the way cures are being sought for every other illness.

I've been a bit off balance myself of late, but my situation is due more to being cooped up than it is for clinical reasons.

Unfortunately, it's just been too damn warm outside. The work I do relies on extreme cold and extreme heat. Garage doors don't break when the weather is nice. Hence, the last three weeks have been bad.

Consequently, I'm broke and I can't go anywhere or do anything except sit around and surf the net. It's not at all healthy. Mentally or physically.

It's supposed to snow here in Colorado tonight though, so maybe there will be work tomorrow.

Great comments and I'd just like to share something that helped me keep things in perspective.

Depression to me, is an indication that you care about the world around you. You probably see horrible things happen and wish you could make a change for the better, but cannot. Without turning your back on responsibility, try to keep the good things in mind. Depression is a tough thing to deal with. Surround yourself with like-minded friends who truly support you. Let go of the negative aspects of your life. Hope this helps.

i am against taking medications to fight depression. Discussing ideas with other positive depressed people some how is helpful
I create a lot of tasks to do. i am active in civil society. I do as much as i can for my community. I Know they might not recognize it, but, I do not care!!! I do my part and move forward another goal each time I attend an objective

I used to take anti depressants but with my psychiatrist help we slowly faded them out. I exercise everyday, meditate, got a pet (my cat keeps me in the moment and makes me laugh), limit the amount of news I watch (I don't bury my head in the sand but I can know what's happening in the world in 15 minutes), I have developed an amazing network of close friends that I can reach out to if I start to slip back into my depression and take a vitamin D supplement everyday.

Find things to do, people to meet, things to enjoy. Sometimes it may feel like theres nothing around, but its only cause you haven't taken the time to get out and look around to see beyond whatever it is thats dragging you down.

When I let myself slide and stay home from too many of these activities I notice I get more solidly depressed, and am even less inclined to leave the house. I'm bipolar (Bipolar II, full-blown clinical depression alternating with mild mania) and almost certainly diagnosable for Asperger's/High-Functioning Autism, and I have a physical disability such that I can't drive. So, It would be very easy for me to revert to a full-time hermit, almost never talking to anyone in person. When I first landed, penniless, unemployed, back in Pueblo (conservative, with few college-graduates and even fewer with graduate school experience) after 20 years in more educated, more liberal college towns, I shut down. For almost 2 years I didn't have any social life, made no new friends, and only met up with one old high school friend, once. And of course I was depressed a lot of the time. But I have lots of interests, and reasoned that there are other people here with similar interests, and I'd only find those people if I left the house and went to find them. So I made a list of my interests, big or small, things I enjoy doing, etc. Then I did a bunch of google searches for clubs, groups and organizations within walking distance where I could do each of the things on my list. I joined the Historical Society, the Archaeological society, and crafting groups, and now there are people besides my family who know I exist, and who care that I exist(which really does help), and I have acquaintances who share some of my interests, with whom I can talk about fun stuff. I still get depressed, but so long as I don't let that become an excuse to skip those scheduled activities each week, I don't get nearly as overwhelmed by depression.

WHAT, ME WORRY?
Sorry, just trying to be funny here – at the risk of looking like a moron. But I don’t have a problem with that because I enjoy making a monkey out of myself! And I call that “acceptance.” If you know how to accept things as they are you’ll be honest and you’ll be true to yourself. And for me that is freedom. And when you have freedom what more could you ask for? Me? “all I need is a pint a day” says Beatle Paul MacCartney.
One of the major causes of depression is loss of self-confidence.
So, what caused your loss of faith and belief in yourself? There must be a reason, there’s a reason for everything. You gotta try and backtrack a little and pick up the pieces to solve the puzzle to make you WHOLE again.
“Look into your heart , into your “inner self” you’re the only one who can do that. You can only do that if you love yourself. You must love yourself. That is not selfishness. The whole world will love you for that. Learn to love yourself, said George Benson, it’s the greatest love of all.
So, what caused your loss of self-confidence? When things fall apart, when your world crumbles, dreams shattered, when everything is going against you?
Murphy’s Law dictates: “When everything is going against you, you must be on the wrong lane”
Awareness, discernment, hindsite, that “watch your back” thing. You don’t need a “third eye” for these.
You may be painfully shy and introverted with a lot of anxieties. But you’re a damn good writer so why not write about yourself for yourself to read. It’s just between you and your self, and, aaaaahhh, is there another one? Uuuhhh, how do you say that again, duuuhhhh, “It is I, me and myself” so that makes the three of you, correct? Oooooh, what a dumbnut! . . . where were we?
Oh, yeah, write about yourself for yourself to read. Write about how much you hate yourself. Write them in detail, nitpick in the worst way you could think, use profane and vulgar language if you must and after all has been said on paper, you look in the mirror and tell yourself how much you hate you, in your face. Look straight into your eyes and ask yourself, “is true, is this me? Must I accept that I’m so stupid that I hate myself” I leave all the answers to you.

And, from the 1991 Disney animated movie Beauty and The Beast: Lumiere the Candle telling Belle, “When you’re stressed it’s fine dining we suggest!”

Eat Bananas, flirt, go for a hike

believe trauma to be a chance for growth (after all life is suffering; [en.wikipedia.org]

Take care of yourself by using Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs (love and belonging require courageous vulnerability)

Straighten your posture, smile (behavior and body language proceed cognition)

As a survival mechanism, your brain tends to look for negative events and situations, positive thinking can be a mechanism for you to change this, but some situations aren't best resolved by positive thinking and trying to maintain a constant positive outlook can lead to disappointment or a swing in the other direction. Everything is a spectrum. The bright side is still better.

Social media messes with your neurochemistry

Your ability to be happy at all, is your ability to control and manage your neurochemistry

Train yourself to eagle eye the positive in or around your life.
Do this long enough, and you'll find it a bit hard to get down.

I try to keep busy doing things that I like, that make me laugh. Talking helps, especially with people that understand. If you feel like talking, I'd like to help.

I woke up crying this morning, so I can totally relate. I find talking about my feelings & being Honest is very helpful. Working out, & Writing or journaling, my all time favorite is Music. I hope this is helpful ????

I'd suggest the following:
First and foremost: find people to talk to about things; friendships can be theraeutic
Have a social circle (not just online, but off also)
Exercise (cardio especially)
Be mindful of your diet; include: Omega 3's, nuts, berries; eat
lots of fruits and vegetables
If you're shy and or introverted: Don't be afraid to go places, and socialize
by yourself if your friends aren't available;
Join a class or group of interest; ie: salsa dancing, cooking class, etc;
Every person is different, and some suggestions may not help, but you
need to be willing to try various things.
Go to a comedy club; laugh, talk, join a club or group (offline) where you
can talk about how you're feeling;
***These are just a few suggestions. I hope you find something that helps.

I am in the same boat. There are tons of resources outside of prayer or medication. Therapy is helpful to get at the root of any mood or trauma issues. I would say finding people to talk to, groups to join, or good activities in your spare time will help. Staying busy and finding ways to balance social/intellectual needs with the basic need to stay relaxed and in a good headspace is key.

Memes always cheer me up. I also like photography and reading. And building Lego sets.