Ask HN: Depression, Loss of Motivation, Feeling Lost. Please Help

While IANA mental health professional by any means, reading your post you sound more bored than depressed. Getting through your college work with little effort and maturing beyond your peer groups typical socialising will contribute heavily to regular boredom. You are also at a point where lots of people are at a loss for what to do with their lives.

I certainly can't offer any concrete advice, people close to you and professionals you may have access to at college can. Take advantage of what they can do for you.

This is what I came here to say. OP, I've been in your shoes. In fact, I'm not entirely out of them. But talking to an unbiased third party, especially a professional who has experience helping people, is invaluable. I have had good luck finding (free!) help through my school - if your school or one in your area has a clinical psychology program, they will offer free counselling.

Talking to a doctor might also be a good idea, but if that is too big of a step for you right now just make an appointment with a shrink.

Go see an MD and/or psychologist soon. Soon, as in pick up the phone or walk down the street and schedule it now and see someone this week. Its great you have reached out to a forum where there are people whose advice you seem to respect. As I read through the other comments, almost everyone agrees you need to see a doctor. Don't hold back, tell them what you've said here. This is nothing to be ashamed of.

I don't claim to have the answers; I do claim to have empathy. What you're describing isn't far off what I lived through around your age, though you sound like you're managing better academically with it than I did. Well done for that.

For me, exercise helps but isn't a panacaea. Proper sleep helps but too much sleep can be a symptom of depression I understand. I've had a tendency to almost obsessively research things sometiems in that position, close myself off in that pursuit then look back later and realise it's been an excuse to shut off. The people around you, odds on, care more about you and your health and happiness than you think. More of them have suffered or will suffer something like you are now than you might expect.

What little wisdom I do have in this area says to try and stay in touch with some degree of 'normal' life in the outside world. Forcing yourself into too much risks burnout which is no more helpful, but managing at least some leiure (i.e. outside classes) outside world interaction will, I suspect, help you. Most people are fundamentally nice and helpful IME, frankly,

(One little thing, you say you have no connection with your peers any more and seem to feel you've moved on beyond the pursuits that seem to interest them. For most of my life the vast bulk of my friends have been older than me; they're just who I tend to find interesting. Later stages of undergraduate education aren't conducive to significant friendships with older people than yourself though. You may find you benefit from trying to reach out into new social avenues outside education eo engage with peers at a different point in their lives than where you currently are yourself.)

"I have hardly put any effort into anything that I have been doing/done."

Do you know why? Has the work seemed meaningless, boring, overwhelming, etc.?

"I am unable to concentrate"

All the time or only during specific activities?

"I can't seem to find motivation to do work"

Do you have any motivation for non-work activities?

"and though I did have that phase, I can't stand that anymore."

Why can't you stand it anymore?

"I don't seem to understand what is wrong with me"

I know what that feels like. It's frustrating.