At what point is it significantly interfering in daily life

[eeyore_trying]

I am 23 and have been depressed since I was 10, and in the past few years have also struggled with anxiety although the intensity is off and on. I have never been diagnosed or treated though. I haven't had suicidal thoughts since I was in high school but I have periods where I am just irrationally sad or anxious or both. I feel like I can't really control it and there are days when I just wont wake up, or can't get out of bed, or can't leave the house. It doesn't happen enough to where I'm failing my classes and I work almost completely from home so I tend to just think it's fine. But at what point should someone speak to a professional and get help? When I'm 'fine' I feel like there's no need but on bad days I feel like there is. I just feel like knowing that people have way tougher issues than I do, I should just deal with it.

[SnowWhite94]

I, like you, experience the waves. Some days I'm fine, other days I'm really bad. Since I've been seeing my psychologist for so long (three years), I can go in whenever I'm feeling bad. Sometimes I don't see him for three months, other times I see him once a week for a period of time. I too have also told my dr that I feel guilty for being sad about things when I have a great life. He always reminds me "saying you feel can't feel bad because someone has it worse, is the same as saying you can't be happy because someone has it better." Maybe establish yourself with a doctor and tell them how the moods come and go. They're very understanding and can figure out a schedule or etc. Even just seeing someone once in awhile helps a lot, trust me. And don't be discouraged if your first attempt isn't that great. It took about two different therapists before I found the one I see now. I apologize for talking about myself but I hope this gives you some insight and shows you that you're not alone. But I do think you're at a point now where it could be potentially really helpful to see a professional.

[LadyO4]

Seeking professional support is strictly a matter of choice. If you have reached a point where you feel that a loving and listening ear will help, by all means do that for yourself. I would just caution you to do your homework beforehand and really study the person you choose to see.

Therapists, like people, are not all the same, and you don't want to get inside the office of the wrong one. This link has a section at the bottom where you can find a good one in your area. bit.ly/2DS3v7S

Secular therapists can treat just one tiny slice of the problem so you owe it to yourself to get the whole picture by seeing the right kind of doctor, which in this case, should be a "functional doctor specializing in endocrinology".

Chances are, something has gone amiss in your biochemistry that has altered your body's ability to make the hormones necessary for feeling better. Discovering where the problem lies gives this kind of doctor the means to target the problem and fix it, not mask it with a drug.

A functional doctor will take some tests; blood, urine, stool, and saliva, to see what is going on inside your body. You would be amazed how much you can learn about yourself, and how easy correcting this can be. Getting your body to function properly again is a gift of life!

I sure hope you are able to consider some of this - hope is closer than you think.