I’ve known since I was a kid that I’m depressed. I even have infant photos of me, where I look like I just hate life. Other baby photos the baby is smiling, and interested in everything. Whereas I look like even though I’m too young to even have thoughts, I’m still giving off body language of “leave me alone”.
But when I started asking everyone I knew if they too were depressed, I haven’t gotten one single person to say that they’re happy. Everyone has said they’re depressed. So now I wonder if it’s a regional thing, or if everyone everywhere is depressed.
I don’t know honestly??? University is draining the life out of me right now but other than that I think I’m fine, in spite of my tendencies to say/do things that might indicate otherwise (but at least part of that is just because I like being dramatic sometimes).
Though considering I’ve often been having low motivation to do anything and sometimes just been staying in bed for over half of the day saying I’m fine might just be a whole lotta cope. :^)
But yeah I would say most of my friend group is not depressed, but I’ve also never directly asked and you often never know so that doesn’t mean much.
If it makes you feel better I haven’t met a grad student in the last 20y who wasn’t on some psychiatric medication. Basically everyone I knew in school was on antidepressants at the very least and the majority of undergrads were taking stimulants.