Your concerns are realistic. Whether or not you have depression is entirely orthogonal to whether you are facing real and valid obstacles in your life. Please don’t take my comment as invalidating your feelings or difficulties. Depression has a lot more to do with the mental resources you can bring to bear in dealing with those difficulties.

From what you say, I believe you saw a talk therapist (often a psychologist or licensed therapist) rather than a medical doctor (psychiatrist). I strongly suggest you see a medical doctor. No competent psychiatrist will tell you that you’re beyond help. There are a slew of medications, cognitive therapies, and other interventions available. It’s a process to find out which combination may help you, but it’s rare to find someone that can’t achieve some level of relief.

Also, I thought I read your whole piece, but I guess I blanked on that passage. Sorry.