How are your depression and self image related?

I'm sorry to hear that you've been struggling with depression for so long. I've had bouts, and it is so exhausting. For me anyways, depression and self-hate often go hand in hand. So yes, as my mood improves, usually so does how I feel about myself.

There is hope! The best advice I have received, though it is really hard to follow, is to be patient and forgiving with yourself. You are doing the best that you can in this current moment. You are enough, just the way you are.

@Ellejae18 Nice post.. I find this idea fleshed out in great detail, and in ways that have been useful to me, at Dr. Kristin Neff's web site. She is a leading researcher on self-compassion, which I think is basically what you describe so well. There are lots of resources on her web site; her piece on what self-compassion is not is a useful starting point for explaining how that's different from trying to boost your self-image: http://self-compassion.org/what-self-compassion-is-not-2/

My depression and self image are sometimes very correlated, and sometimes have nothing to do with each other.

Sometimes I can see myself in the mirror and absolutely love what I see, even if I'm directly down in the dumps. Sometimes I can be very happy, and look at myself, and hate myself for literally no reason.

But, when I'm happier, the chances of me seeing myself as worthwhile are much, much higher. But you're right; it's very exhausting to spend so much time hating yourself. I wish there was a way that we could control our confidence.