I am sorry to hear you are feeling you have stagnated. Frustrating that even a little of that can tip us over and make us be in a state that only makes things worse.

If your friends are studying medicine, maybe you can help them with their studying of mental illness. That way you won't feel like you waste their time even if your not at your "best". Of course, it may also make them accepting of any unreliability they may see in you, while not turning a blind eye when you need support.

Are your friends in any way maybe a bit afraid (the darker sides of) of mental illness? Because they really shouldn't be if they want to become good doctors (not just psychiatrists). Any illness or biochemical dysregulation has a psychological component to it.