The second hardest thing, after getting yourself to the office, is conveying your problem in all its gruesomeness. I have a hunch they aren't allowed to lead you with questions, and if you think its "normal" you won't describe it in enough detail. It's too easy to start thinking that you are of bad character, or "it's just life". You aren't and it ain't - a healthy person, especially with a good skill set, can easily focus on his work, or put effort to find better work. Timid acceptance of suffering, absent an actual terminal disease, is the hallmark of a mood disorder.

The key trigger with doctors is to describe both how you feel and how that affects your life - e.g. you can't do your work in the afternoon, you can't sleep at night and feel tired during the day, your relationship unravels because you can't put any effort into it, the trash is piling over your house, the bills go unpaid more than they have to be, you get riled up about inconsequential things and can't calm down, that sort of thing.

I'm glad you found proper help. Tenacity pays.