Hey Peaches, thank you so much for reaching out to us here, welcome to the forums. I'm so sorry to hear about what you're going through. Depression feels horrible, and this can be exacerbated when we feel like the people we value most cannot be there for us.
I've read in one of your comments further down that you're a nurse, which can be a very rewarding but also incredibly taxing career where self-care becomes really important. In healthcare settings where we're constantly tending to others' needs, it can be easy to lose sight of our own. It sounds to me like you might benefit from having a designated self-care routine, or even dedicating some time every few days to be in your own company and do something that refreshes you, if this isn't something you've already implemented into your daily life. Even five minutes here and there can make a big difference.
I have a few suggestions, but first it might be good to consider when you feel most energised or at ease - do you feel most energised when you're with people, or on your own? Or a mix of both?
If your self-care involves spending quality time with loved ones, this may be something that you should be scheduling into your daily or weekly routine, just to make sure that you have adequate time to relax and converse with people who understand you and make you feel happy and comfortable. Social support can be really impactful when we're feeling depressed.
If you find that you're most relaxed when you're on your own, there are a number of things you can do. Exercise can really help, even if this just involves a ten minute walk outside or somewhere in nature. If you have any hobbies that you enjoy (colouring in, crafting, listening to music, etc.), even if they're relatively low-effort, these can be good to pencil into your day to reset your mind and offer you some space to think and reflect. Doing these with people can also help if you feel you need a mix of socialisation and personal hobbies.
I hope some of this advice can resonate with you, please feel free to chat some more with us if you'd like. We're here to support you.
Take care, SB
