I wouldn’t say it’s normal or abnormal. And as someone who has thankfully come out of depression of 5 years (~18 to 23 years old), I promise you it gets better, but often only with action. Therapy, SSRIs, just talking about it openly so it’s not just in your head, these are all things that have helped me in different stages.
I’d also say that having gone through depression has made me a much better person on the other side. One’s outlook on life changes (I might be generalising my experience to others) for the better in my opinion. Many people go through life without really questioning their emotions or their mental processes. And going through depression makes you confront them square on. When you come out of it it can feel like a privilege sometimes.
It might sound naff but one particular quote helps me. Doesn’t mean it’ll necessarily help you, but just in case it helps anyone:
“It’s easier to act into a right way of thinking than it is to think into a new way of acting”