I can definitely appreciate what you're going through. I'm a senior PhD student who suffered my MTBI back in July 2008. I was hit by a line drive while pitching in a recreational softball game. I had major issues with dizziness, nausea, light and noise sensitivity, fogginess, headaches, etc... For close to a year I was basically bed/couch ridden, feeling listless and completely out of things.

Having played a lot of competitive sports as a kid my first reaction was the same as yours in terms of trying to push through any health issues, thinking that this would accelerate healing. I tried to continue working and going to school and I eventually learned that in the case of a concussion you need to go 100% in the opposite direction. The stress was taking its toll on me and making all the PCS related issues worse. Moreover, my psychological health plummeted which left me in the same difficult cycle of having depression and dealing with a concussion that you describe.

It's been almost two years since my injury and I still have not completely recovered. However, from my experience I feel I can share three pieces of advice that I hope will help you.

1) Your priority needs to be rest. Focus your attention everyday around the goal of resting as it is the key to your recovery. You should try to remove as many of the demands on you and responsibilities you have as possible. Only in this way can you minimize stress which will hinder your recovery more than anything else I can think of (less a second head injury!). It's hard to go from being an active person (especially athlete) who was fully engaged in life to essentially doing nothing. However, you need to slowly build things up from zero rather than trying to find the minimum amount you can compromise and still "push through". I ended up taking a 5 month medical leave of absence from school. This helped immeasurably!!!

2) Seek professional help for your psychological health. Yes, there are stigmas about depression which can make this difficult. Ultimately though, a psychiatrist/psychologist/social worker can help you learn to cope with the challenges you are facing. Improving your psychological help will go a long way to keeping you motivated as you try to improve your physical/cognitive health. Be a consumer though. You may have to try a few different doctors/therapists before you find one that you are comfortable with. Navigating the health care system can be a long and frustrating process. Keep in mind that you're doing your best to try and get better.

3) Don't be afraid to ask for help. A concussion is a tough thing to deal with because of the "invisible" nature of the injury and the lack of education people often have about the injury. What I have found is that people are more understanding and supportive than you often think. This may also be related to "distorted thoughts" you might be having as a result of depression. Let your family and friends help you, let them support you, and let them know what you're going through. My family and friends have really helped me to work on #1 and #2. Without them I don't think I would have made as much of a recovery as I have so far.

I can empathize with what you're going through because I've been living the same thing for almost two years. Please give my suggestions a try, I think they will help you. It's tough to take action though, so a little bit at a time. Don't get discouraged. Remember, you're recovering from a brain injury. It's expected that things are more challenging and frustrating to do now than before your injury. Good luck!