depressionsucks

My critique wasn't on the volunteering aspect, I agree that's helpful, it was on calling depressed people narcissistic.

Neither of you guys have had clinical depression. just because everyone gets the blues sometimes doesn't mean they understand someone with genuine depression. keep your platitudes to yourself.

Also I fucking hated people when they said 'it just takes time' because it makes the situation seem so hopeless when you are hurting today. It is true though, and there will be ups and downs along the way.

I'm 37, so I know that feeling well. There's a sense that others are moving on with their lives, both professionally and personally (eg getting married, having kids) but you are stuck and not going anywhere. Honestly, I'm not through this and still feel much of this, but through therepy I've realized that this keeping up with others isn't a helpful thing. Plenty of people are late bloomers (here's an example, obviously less inspiring now than it used to be). https://500hats.com/late-bloomer-not-a-loser-i-hope-ac0ec49a... For me personally I've realized this period is one of intense personal growth and it's brought up lots of issues from my past patterns that I hadn't dealt with but needed to. I'm confident that now I'm better placed for success both at work and at home, though I still need time to heal and rebuild myself inside before that happens and that's a process that just takes time.

I went through this at the same time as experiencing a major business failure. It sucked, and honestly 14 months later it still sucks but it does get better with time. Very very slowly, but it does. Be careful about creating a chemical dependency, it was weed for me, as that actually prolongs the recovery. I think these things help us in the early days, but eventually they block you from processing the feelings you have to process. Stay in there, it will get better.

I guess you have never had depression then. This is the kind of comment that only makes depressed people feel worse. It's like saying to a depressed person, come on just cheer up. Criticism or kicking someone when they are down with depression like you just did is unwarranted, mean and dangerous.