(These are just opinions based on experience)
They're, in search for a better term, a kind of coping mechanism but, trust me, they are nobody's saviours. Especially alcohol which has no mercy on its victim. You think you're depressed now? Alcohol will amplify your bad feelings and, one of these days, you may find yourself in a hole that only
you've dug because you failed to find another outlet. However, since you've taken the opportunity to ask advice advice
before you resort to such measures, I trust that you have enough understanding to know that your ideas for coping, so far, are flawed. To be honest, it was a smart move, coming to us first. It shows that you know there are other methods out there.
As for the cutting. I've been there, done that. I have around 1500 scars all over my body. Apart from the fact that cutting did help me in a way (I'm not going to lie to you - you're not a child) I've had so much **** from other people about it. I'll list some of these difficulties (because lists are easier than prose!

)
* Walking through London one day, a completely random guy walked up to me and called me a "crazy bitch" and then threatened to kill me. You think I'm exaggerating? Self-harm triggers that reaction in some people. Having said that, I did call that nutter's bluff, and nothing happened (namely, because we were on a busy London street). But anyway, it was f88king scary!
* My family near-enough alienated me and ignored that fact that there was a problem. Self-harm is just not something that some people can or want to deal with.
* Self-harm, far from actually helping me, became another problem that I had to work through.
It's a typical snowball effect - you pick up new problems as you go along to help mask/'fix' the old ones.Having said all this, cutting isn't even worth it. When I'm 50 (in a quarter of a century!) I'll still have evidence written all over my body that says I'm a nutter, that I can't handle pressure, that I'm not right for the job, that I'm dangerous, untrustworthy, weak... you get the picture. It's what other people see when they see my scars.
Maybe you could trying viewing self-harming as potentially pictorial evidence of the fact you're a nutcase. YOU'RE NOT A NUTCASE; don't get me wrong but,
trust me, this is how other people will view you.
You want people to know about your depression; you don't want people thinking you belong in an asylum of some sort.
So, I've told you why you shouldn't resort to these measures, but I'm a little less opinionated on the matter of what you
should resort to.
I recommend counselling, even if only to say that you've tried it. If it works, brilliant! You may find clarity in your issues by saying them out loud and having someone relay the issues back to you from an outsider's point of view. There are counsellors around that you can see for free (see your doctor, or look up "mind" on the internet for more details).
I recommend that you leave the idea of antidepressants until last. There is such a thing as mind over matter. If you can do this without resorting to happy pills, you'll be much better off than alot of people out there who see their 'happiness' as relied on an external substance.
Meditation might help. I'm not much of spiritualist but, every now and again, I visit a buddhist temple and find peace and wisdom there. You don't have to start walking around bare-foot carrying prayer beads... but, you never know, it could do the trick.
Okay, so I've gone on and on and on. I'll leave you at that. Let us know what happens, yeah?
;console;