Good to meet you Teewa.
5 years of coping with depression and anxiety can feel like an eternity so my heart goes out to you. Remaining functional is often our biggest problem, isn't it ?
Having to interrupt studies is a setback but there is always the possibility of going back later as mature age student. My daughter returned to studying after an 8 years interruption and never looked back.
Right now the priority is to take good care of yourself.
Many of us are familiar with the feeling of getting nowhere or going backwards. Very frustrating and disheartening.
Sometimes, medication which once worked for us stops doing so. It is then a good idea to discuss alternatives with your prescribing doctor. Either type or dosage may need to be changed as your needs do.
Are you undergoing therapy or seeing a counselor at the moment ? If not, it may be the way to go and another thing to discuss with your doctor.
Have you tried practicing coping strategies like mindfulness (if not, Smiling Mind is a helpful app) ? Of course, those only work if practiced daily, persistently so that the mind can more easily shift into calm mode when most needed.
Kudos to you for seeking more social interaction, a wise decision. Of course, the more we stick to our own company, the more we tend to live in our head which can be an unpleasant space to dwell in. These forums are a safe place to start.
K9 company is terrific, unconditionally loving company but as humans we need to mingle with humans too. Have you thought of volunteering with a local animal shelter ? Shelters are good place to meet caring, compassionate people...and a good way to make a positive difference too.
Just an option for you to consider. Only you can know if it could suit and help you.
We'd love to get to know you better. So we're looking forward to reading more from you.
