TL;DR: Got depressed. Stopped brushing and washing my very long hair for several months. It's extremely matted, tangled and knotted. How to fix?

Every so often I find myself Googling "depression hair" and how to fix it. Matted, tangled, knotted hair that hasn't seen a brush in months. This is my hair. 

A wave of unexpected depression hit hard. I went through long periods of time where I wouldn't brush or wash my hair. I'd go a few weeks, then a month, then two months.. With each time obviously becoming more difficult to manage. After hitting a few months, the task became so daunting, I avoided it even more. I didn't have the time, nor the energy when I did. It had taken me hours the last time I attempted to brush my hair out and I barely made any sort of progress. I had cried because it hurt. I had cried because I'm embarrassed at myself. I'm ashamed. 

I avoided seeing people. In person, on FaceTime. I've been getting comments from family and friends that see me in the background of video calls - "What's up with your hair?" "Do we need to give you a makeover?" - I avoided pictures. I avoided going out in public. I looked disheveled. I looked ugly. My hair looked stupid. I could barely pull it up because the mats were so thick. My hair just expanded out in every which way when I attempted to separate and detangle it. 

It's been half a year since my hair has been brushed out and my scalp clean and everything. I don't know what to do from here and where to go. I don't have much time during the day and again, when I do find time, I just don't have the energy to tackle my hair. I am very tempted to just shave my head, but was warned that would likely cause myself to plummet even further into depression.  

My hair is so dry and damaged and gross. I worry it'll only get more gross once it gets closer to Summer. 

Has anyone else gone through this? What did you do?