Have you recovered from depression????

[KP1]

If you have recoveredm from depression and feel that you are well please let us know about it here!

 

[nickh]

seems a favourite topic. I guess it depends what you mean by recovered KP. If you mean completely recovered in the sense of not having been depressed once for, say, 5 years then I think it is unlikely that anyone here is going to say yes - that's NOT! to say it doesn't happen (it does) but I would guess that people who do recover completely probably wouldn't come to a forum like this (I might be wrong and maybe there are some people who have had this kind of recovery here - I'm just basing on this fact that I don't think I would be here if I had 'recovered' like that).

If you mean 'recovered' in the sense of at the moment feeling that I have a reasonable coping strategy in place, that my attacks are wider apart and shorter than they once were, that when I am not ill I have a life with which I am reasonably content - then yes I have 'recovered'. This doesn't mean that the attacks when they do come, when I fall into the pit, are any less horrible, scary, disabling etc. etc., nor that I would ever contemplate stopping my medication or not seeing my psychiatrist etc.. - rather the opposite. The older I get and the more I think, read, hear the more I realise the truth that mental health is something which has to be constantly worked at, thought about, monitored. As someone else put it here - with wisdom - maybe 'discovery' is more important than 'recovery'.

Nick.

 

[honeyquince]

I agree with Nick and see depression as an extreme part of a continuum of a persons mental health. I'm therefore coming to see that I probably will never be fully recovered and depression is part of me albeit an extreme part of me. This doesn't mean to say I feel happy about this, infact I find it all rather depressing! Again this is my personal experience and will probably differ to everyone elses but hey ho.

 

[daffy]

I think it all depends on what type of depression you have, whether its reactive or clinical. With reactive i.e. brought on by trauma or shock then yes i do think you can recover. I have known someone who lost someone very dear to them and was severley depressed for over a year and on medication and is now recovered. But if it is clinical then I do think that is much more difficult and you are more likely to need long term medication

 

[icetsunami]

Who is the mythological character who pushes the boulder up the hill only for it fall down the other side and thus becomes an eternal struggle?
Like the ebb and flow of the tides, so are the days of our lives.

 

[honeyquince]

Sisyphus - I know the feeling!

 

[blackdog]

I have come to the same conclusion Honeyquince, depression is going to be part of my life. After 13 years or so of varying degrees of depression how would I ever know if my mood lifted whether I was in recovery or remission. No, I really believe that it will always be a part of me and somehow I need to find ways of coping..........hopefully.

 

[jamesdean]

Hi guys i c this post this morning. Well my dad became depressed a couple of years ago n then 1 day he phoned me up 2 thank my partner n myself 4 all r help because he said he was better n the depression had gone n i was like"how did that happen im 40 years depession how do u get better i'll have some of that. I know that some people do get better n never look back. I woild love 2 b in that position. Take care all jd

 

[jamesdean]

Good morning

I just read my post this morning 2 catch up n it sounds like i dont care. What i meant was no 1 would ask 4 this illness like any other medical condition. N i have 2 say i'm quite attached 2 my little life with depression. But i personally i 4 get that 2 b well n have quality of life must b wonderfull(something "well" people) just dont say thank u enough 4. I do know what quality of life is because i had little snippets once when i took steroids n also morphine 4 a short time 4 my physical health conditions, 2 feel so well physically n have so much strengh is i think a human right. Depression in itself is so physically exhausting & a disabilatity. 2 feel normal mentally must b wonderful. I kinda think 2 c life through a crystal vase must b nice Sorry ive gone on a bit All i mean is People seem 2 think we like being depressed but honestly no 1 would ask 4 it but 2 b so positive must b great n have such power n control over your life. Sorry ive gone on again the question was simple. I guess all i needed 2 say was if u did recovered Would u look back? I've ended with a question that is interesting.

 

[Michael]

I've recovered from Depression many times, but I seem to be allergic to something as it keeps coming back in one form or another.

Michael

 

[Eleison]

I'm getting better at living with and around my depression.

I've been told that I have 'longstanding treatment resistant depression' and officially 'recurrent depressive disorder' so I know it'll always kind of lurk there in the background. But I am growing more awareness and hope and self esteem around all that.

I know for a fact that I'm not as ill as I was a year or more ago.

I still have the symptoms, but when I slip into the worst darkest abyss, I spend less time there now that I used, I emerge sooner...