I know for me, my anxiety which turned into major depression was situational & hit me at the age of 41 after I lost my engineering career. I made it through the stress of getting my degree, having a family....however my bad marriage that my career was my escape from had probably been adding to my issues all along, I just didn't bother with it until I could no longer hide from it.

If it started with you being in the north.....don't forget that there is the depression SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)...the lack of sunshine is a great cause of depression my many people especially with those in Alaska & other regions like that......so that may have been a trigger.

I was trapped in the situation I was in.....& it wasn't until I was able to leave my H that things started getting a bit better for me.....but still struggle with the anxiety & depression to a certain extent....but then I went through a trauma about 8 years ago & that added a whole other mess on top of what I had been dealing with.

Lots of things can go into causing depression feelings. I think you need to push the VA into providing you mental health support NOW because of what you are going through.