Hi Seb,
I'm sorry to hear that this is such a tough time for you right now. I don't know much about whether or not AS is linked with depression and the physiology of it, but regardless of what might or might not be causing it, it's still very real. (Thanks to all for the info explaining the link ... very interesting).
It sounds like you're in a time of great transition ... relationships, school, adjusting to having AS. That's a lot to deal with and I think some degree of depression often goes with uncertainty. You mentioned that your having a hard time accepting the impact that this disease might have on your life and your goals. Hopefully you'll find some great treatments that really work for you and will be able to reach all of your goals regardless ... but the thought that something out of your control is threatening that is definitely enough to be depressed about.
If you do decide to talk to someone about it, there are counselors who specialize in dealing with chronic illness and in this type of situation I think someone working with grief and loss might be a good fit too. Even though your feeling good now, you're grieving the loss of the picture of what you hoped your future would look like pre-AS.
No shame in wanting extra help in getting through these rough patches. One thing I've gained from this site is that you never have to feel alone with what your going through. I hope you're not feeling so lost today ... we're all rooting for you!
