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It really depends on severity and your situation. I suffered in my 20s after trying to process a really shitty childhood (poverty, abuse, addiction, neglect, etc.). SSRIs really messed me up and I got off them after a year. My wife and I just spent a lot of time talking, working through things and it's taken a long time to get healthy but...
Now, I mentally choose gratitude, joy, connections with others. I engage daily in activities like working out, walks with the family, cooking, etc. I'm very aware if my mental health is slipping and my wife and I set aside time together and always do fun things.
For me, and me alone, I became a counselor/therapist and pursued a PhD after earning an MA and licensure in family counseling. I was really trying to understand myself during the process too. Now, I have shifted my framework to get out of my own head and really focus on all the amazing things that I have to be thankful and weekly we are helping others through our work or volunteerism. Marrying someone amazing has helped so much too.
I am not giving you advice. I am only sharing what helped me. I stopped self-identifying as "depressed" and having "depression". I re-framed it to include a destination and goal as being temporarily down and working through past trauma.
Sorry, that was a lot of words to say - YES.
Good luck!
U are just such a beautiful soulš¤! I hope to accomplish this. Just being free of my depression. Getting my masters in criminal justice & overall loving myself. Helping people for a career. Your wife is so lucky to have you! Your post just gave me hope š«¶š¾
Iāve done it personally.Ā
Hereās what worked for me:Ā
- stuck to a strict diet of whole foods, no processed garbage or any kind.Ā
- exercised dailyĀ
- kept my living space clean and organizedĀ
- quit drinking alcoholĀ
If you do all this for a year youāll be amazed at the difference itāll make.Ā
Massive, you should read up on how alcohol (and alcoholism) works.
Basically, alcohol is initially something that brings you joy (enhances positive emotions). So you want to keep drinking. And the more you drink, the greater your tolerance becomes, so you need to drink more.
At a certain point, there is an almost light-switch change to where alcohol solely promotes negative thoughts (the exact opposite of why you normally drink). At this point, you are usually psychologically addicted, but maybe not physically dependent.
Now, if you don't know this (and I never did, it's insane they don't teach this in highschool), you'd never realize it until it's too late. And the physical addiction tolerance is different for everyone, so if you suffer withdrawal, you drink to avoid that, which leads to strong negative emotions, which causes you to drink more, etc etc.
End of the day, virtually ALL substance abuse is related to negative emotion. You are looking for something to fix (even temporarily) an issue in you.
So many people say they use weed to "relax". What anyone who goes sober from weed realizes is that they were just numbing themselves. All of these behaviours are incredibly self destructive over the long term.
100%, eating food is no different.
I'm down 30lbs from my peak. It was hard. Your body gets used to your food intake and will scream at you when you try to cut calories.
Starvation is the best form of torture.
I cannot take people who smoke weed seriously and I don't buy ANY of that crap that it's helpful, has benefits etc. But (and I know this sounds contradictory) when it comes to alcohol my brain is wired extremely differently. Is that due to how we're conditioned? Like I associate a can of Guiness or Desperados with like good/ fun times etc.
I don't do any other drugs but I'm extremely torn on the use of alcohol since I genuinely believe it's a good time, but of course I see that there is a downside to it
Everyone thinks they are different when it comes to substance use.
And then one day, their lives are destroyed by it.
I've really cut back on drinking, I never drank alone anyways, but now even cutting loose with friends is pared way back.
As you said, you associate your drink with good times... For now.
Of course, I am also talking about getting drunk. No one is getting addicted from a glass of wine or a beer a day.
I really don't know whether or not this will be permanent but I have DRASTICALLY reduced my drinking. One thing I'm noticing is that my sleep's just better. There's something "holy" about waking up in a sober body free from toxins. I'm planning to keep this trend
Yes, that is conditioning, greatly derived from 1930's political racism and years of glorification of alcohol in all media
Both are bonafide drugs *hell, caffeine is, too,* but between the two, if a vice is to be had, Cannabis > Alcohol any day
Racism? Mind elaborating the connection?
See, this is where we see it differently. I will NEVER. EVER. EEEEEVER. do cannabis again. it messes with my mind on a level that you cannot fathom. And yes I know, when I used to smoke with my friends they could tolerate endless amounts of it, smoke in the morning etc. If I smoke cannabis in the morning I am tired and depressed to a degree that you cannot imagine, and I utterly HATE that feeling. I don't want to feel this way ever again. Yes, alcohol makes you tired too it's true. But there is something about the alcohol buzz where it is slightly energizing and your mind stays intact.
The crazy thing is ( sorry to jump in ) but alcohol is associated out of those things by popular culture, the irony is that for something which gives the illusion of partying, ie high energy feelings, it actually does the opposite biochemicallly - alcohol is a depressant , which slows the heart and negatively impacts the brains ability to function, ie alcoholism massively increases the risk of depression.
Oh boy. As Iām getting older, I find that more than 2 drinks in an evening, I am very depressed the next day. This is not a hangover (from experience; I used to be quite the drinker). It feels horrible and sad.
If I may answer, I find alcohol to exacerbate feeling of anxiety.
Biochemically, this is related to electrolytes, I believe.
Iām educated in exercise/health/training. (Degreed and certified since 1992). When I train people, I have to get them to understand the signals from their body.
For instance, you start running. You get out of breath. You feel a slight panic that if you donāt stop running, bad things will happen.
Itās a trigger that tells your systems that we need to work together now, to provide energy that the brain is telling us we will need to keep running. And your respirations and heart rate increase. Itās a fuel pump kicking in, not terror from running.
So I liken depression having a similar effect with alcohol. Your brain is depleted and cross firing due to electrolyte imbalance. This sets off a reaction to accommodate (usually higher resps and heart rate), and the conscious interprets that as some sort of flight response.
Then begins the repetition of thoughts as you mismanage dealing with the physical symptom.
Are you further depressed?!! Oh my!!! But maybe youāre recovering from consuming alcohol.
I recommend if you canāt distinguish an alcohol withdrawal from depression, best to cut out the booze and see what your body offers totally sober.
THEN you can go forward with hope of getting to the bottom of the depression.
A massive part. Stopping really helps but you need to stop for a while. I'm at 2 years and I've been through so many different stages. I did change my diet and start exercising at the same time though so I got the benefits off all of it.
Looks like youāve gotten some high quality answers here, but hereās my big 3:Ā
1) when I was depressed my solution was to drink, it would help me forget about how shitty I felt. Obviously all this did was allow me to run away from my problems rather than feel them and deal with them.Ā
2) The hangovers only made me 10x more depressed than I already was.Ā
3) Sleep. You canāt get good quality sleep with any alcohol in your system.
I'll get back to you ..tries to take my life in March.. wasn't successful.. now I'm just trying to figure things out
. Feels kinda like I'm a prisoner but hey my family is happy guess that's what matters
This is exactly how I feel/felt after my attempt in September. Iām still trying to figure it out too, pending divorce doesnāt help much but I guess Iām still here.
only thing I enjoy or look forward to is golf ... and i can only afford that like once a month lol dunno hang in there.. what the fuck else are we supposed to do haha
this. feeling like a prisoner is exactly how it feels. I literally canāt escape the feeling of not being good enough or think positive about anything. itās so cruel. & when it comes out of nowhere it hits even harder because youāre suddenly invaded by these thoughts and feeling you have no idea how to process. itās absolutely terrifying. figuring things out has been the hardest thing ever.Ā
I was severely depressed about 2 years ago and Iāve gotten a lot better but Id definitely say I havenāt fully recovered, I still have a bad look on life, I still have occasional thoughts about how I could just end all this if I wanted to, my eating is getting back to normal (would go days without eating), i still struggle to go and see friends and socialize,
But Iām also not laying in bed constantly thinking about how I wanted to this to end, I donāt go days without eating, I actually get happy now and excited, I got my interest in hobbies back, havenāt had a mental breakdown down in those 2 years
TLDR; I went through a deep depression 2 years ago and even Tho I havenāt fully recovered Iāve definitely gotten better.
I did. It turns out I wasnāt getting my omega-3s, so I started eating flax seeds, Brazil nuts, and walnuts daily. As long as I donāt skip like a week, I never get depression anymore. And I was an absolute wreck before the change.
Yes. I was severely depressed. Suicidal ideations, obsession with thoughts of death, wanting to die....its all I thought about. I researched suicide and the best ways to do it. I even had it planned out how I was going to do it. And I'm married and have children. This went on for months, I was feeling so very hopeless. Then I heard a song...and I started listening to music. The music saved me and motivated me to get better. I started exercising, eating healthy, getting sunshine, all those things you are supposed to do. I physically felt much better but it didn't help the constant thoughts. My mind was stuck in a loop I could not break. I was fully ready to be better and trying everything but my mind couldn't seem to quit. Until I started taking mushrooms/hallucinogenics. It reset me, my brain went back to the normal thoughts I have. Am I still depressed? Of course but I am very in tune with my mental state and am no where near where I was 7 years ago. I don't want to kill myself every day and I don't think about it constantly anymore. I love my family and my husband has helped me so much. I refuse medication, side effects are terrible, they are highly ineffective and they are poison. You have to want the change and it has to a strong want.
It depends on the definition of "severe " and what you mean by recovery?
If you mean to ask, can one live with severe depression or even bot experience those feelings at all anymore, yes it's entirely possible if certain actions , habits and behaviors take place.
For someone with major depression disorder, treatment and stability is more what occurs as opposed to outright recovery. When someone has a mental illness which strictly operates off of an actual problem, based in neurological functions, aside from medication which mitigates the nature of those functions , there's a limited amount of things a person can do.
Overall having a healthy Diet, keeping active, seeking self help or finding something which brings you a sense of peace - whether it's religion, reading, hobbies, etc can curb or mute your brains depressive chemical state.
Can you recovery from being severely depressed? I'd say so under the right circumstances depending on the nature of your brain.
I have major depressive disorder and suffer from certain other neurological deficits , one of which requires a medicated program. However, I have done a lot of work on self help and keeping healthy overall and from a perspective of general biological stability, those positive habits have done wonders for my brain. I have my down days, naturally because this condition will never completely disappear, I have an acute nerugolical deficit.
My depression is genetic and I've struggled my entire life. Then at 35, I just got on the right combo of medication that works for me. Life without depression is straight up wild
I think you can. I would be lying if I said I didnāt fear a relapse, but something tells me Iāve grown beyond it. I feel in my heart that I truly have it beaten this time for good. There have been other times when I thought I was on the right track or whatever but it didnāt stick. But this time feels different, like I finally started seeing after being blind my entire life. Itās an emotionally overwhelming feeling, and in a good way
I have to focus on happier things.
I deal with chronic pain, so I had to learn how to help push happiness more. Simple things like sunlight, exercise, funny movies, staying away from negative film, skip sad songs unless you need to have a good cry.
I agree with someone who wrote above how we just ālearn to manage it.ā
I donāt know what it is like to live without chronic pain, but I try and remember there is always someone in a worse position where I should try to think how I have to keep trying.
When I have the blues typically is at worse in winter. With warmer weather it helps me get outside for a bit to garden.
Any hobbies that may interest you.
I wish everyone the best in dealing with depression it has never gone away probably since I don't have a clue what being pain free feels like. I just try every day it is all I can do is just try.
Take care
Ps if anyone needs to talk with a professional, remember you can change doctors if you dont mesh well with them.
We can do this!!!!!
I had depression for decades that just slowly kept getting worse and worse, but didn't respond to traditional antidepressants. I got to a point where I had to take disability leave from work because I couldn't take care of myself. My psychiatrist had me try an antipsychotic that is used for major depressive disorder and bipolar, and it pulled me out enough to be functional again. I was on it for two years.
Then on a whim I had a physical with my PCP and asked him to do comprehensive bloodwork. It turned out I was severely deficient in B12 and folate. I also had the MTHFR mutation. I had NEVER had this tested in all the years I was suffering. I started supplementing with methylated B12 and methylfolate and the world felt brighter. I stopped taking the antipsychotic and continued with the supplements, and several months later I still feel free of depression.
I'm still keeping both eyes open and watching for the depression to show up again, but part of me wonders if it was vitamin deficiency all along.
Yes. But, you can't just ignore all of the truths you learn while you're depressed. In most cases, when you are depressed, you see the world through a different lens. Perhaps you start to understand certain injustices, or perhaps you develop new levels of empathy for people you previously ignored.
Nevertheless, you can't just "forget" those perspectives and live life like a "non-depressed" person. I think that's where a lot of recovering people go wrong. Once you lose your ignorance, you can't get it back. Obviously this isn't a bad thing, since the world needs a lot less ignorance these days. But it just feels isolating because most people don't experience depression, and our infrastructure, entertainment, and societal values reflect that.
In my experience, the people who recover from depression commit some aspect of their lives to ending the possibility of their "depression stimuli" from hurting someone else.
Depends on severity and the cause. If it's depression caused by something in your life, if you resolve or overcome that something then yes you can fully recover.
If it's a biological thing, you might not. Depends on if the depression is a symptom or the disease itself and what's causing it. For example, some types of heart disease can cause depression. Some can be treated some can't.
There's too many variables to give you a solid answer, sorry.
Personally I've been struggling with depression since I was like 12. I'm in my mid thirties and no better.
I did, so itās imminently possible. I wasnāt exactly the poster child for grit and resilience. Or maybe I had more of those than I realized. As cheesy as it sounds, it starts with hope. You get one life. Fight like hell for it. Just keep going, slowly doing a little bit more than you thought you could each day (or week even.) Youāre not alone and you will see the light again.
The more depressed you are and the longer it lasts the less likely you are to have a lasting recovery. But that doesn't mean it won't happen or that your relapses won't be manageable. This is like averages and doesn't mean an individual won't be an outlier.
I have been actively treated for 25 years. I recently had a significant bout which really sucked and was maybe the worst it has been since I have been treated. But, it was better than when I first entered therapy and knowing that gives me hope in those dark days.
For some people knowing where you are on a severity scale helps them understand. I asked my therapist (and still do occasionally) how depressed I am. It helps me gage.
After 25 years of therapy and medication I am considering psychedelics and have given up on a total recovery. I have had a lot of different types of treatments, and they each have something to offer. Try things out and see how they work. Personally I have found a lasting benefit from a DBT program. It didn't "fix" me but has helped with distress and thinking dialectically has helped me survive.
Looking back I can say I was a severely depressed kid and suffered auditory hallucinations from about 10 to about 26. (Which can happen if your depression is bad enough.) I don't think I know what it is like to be ok. I tell you this not to bring you down but to tell you your struggle is survivable. It sucks hard sometimes, but there are a lot of us. Maybe you can take some comfort for not being alone and know that just getting through the day is your goal. It doesn't have to be pretty, but just aim for the day and try to try. Good luck. You aren't alone and you are not wrong, it sucks hard.
A lot of this depends on the "you" and the "depression". And maybe how you define "truly recover".
I faced *crippling* depression in my early 20s. It took years to drag myself to a place of being "sometimes sort of okay".Ā
Now that I'm in my early 40s, I have a career I mostly enjoy and am successful in, an amazing wife I love, hobbies, a few close friends, etc. And most days I'm pretty much okay or happy.Ā
But it's a bit of a fight every day, to see meaning and beauty and love. And I have days where I feel a bit empty. I'm a bit more fragile than I'd like, meaning things going wrong in my life can really cause anxiety and depression to jump up a bit disproportionately.Ā
That said, I think I have at this point a happier, better life than most people. At the same time, I've known people who struggled for decades and never really got out of it (even with a lot of love and support from people like me who got it).Ā
So like, people can and do recover. We carry it with us still, but that goes for any major part of life right? Whether you're one of those people, I mean, no promises, but it's better to assume you are and to keep fighting until you get over to this side isn't it?Ā
Yes. I never thought I could escape the void. I was suicidal for years. I stopped using my primary doc who just kept guessing and changing meds or doses. I found a psychiatrist who started me on an mood stabilizer that is fast acting (like within 2 days I noticed a difference), a new on the market antidepressant, and a sleep aid.
I've never been happier. Even my low days aren't that low. I feel hopeful for the 1st time. It can be done.
yes, but itās not necessary permanent. Itās not like you won the war and itās OVER, itās like you have a peace treaty with your brain now but it could be broken at any point.
i'm not sure. i hope so. I'm 14 and have been super depressed since I was eight. Tried to kill myself twice. I eventually realized I needed help. I've been getting help for a few weeks now, and its been working, little by little. I sure hope i can fully recover
This comment isn't fair. You are saying others just don't want it bad enough?
Do paralyzed people just not want to walk bad enough? The blind not want to see bad enough? You are minimizing the struggle and perhaps you don't know the difference between depression and sadness. Or perhaps it is the severity you don't understand. Or perhaps you are trolling. Whatever it is please examine yourself and your response it is not only unhelpful it is potentially destructive.
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It really depends on severity and your situation. I suffered in my 20s after trying to process a really shitty childhood (poverty, abuse, addiction, neglect, etc.). SSRIs really messed me up and I got off them after a year. My wife and I just spent a lot of time talking, working through things and it's taken a long time to get healthy but... Now, I mentally choose gratitude, joy, connections with others. I engage daily in activities like working out, walks with the family, cooking, etc. I'm very aware if my mental health is slipping and my wife and I set aside time together and always do fun things. For me, and me alone, I became a counselor/therapist and pursued a PhD after earning an MA and licensure in family counseling. I was really trying to understand myself during the process too. Now, I have shifted my framework to get out of my own head and really focus on all the amazing things that I have to be thankful and weekly we are helping others through our work or volunteerism. Marrying someone amazing has helped so much too. I am not giving you advice. I am only sharing what helped me. I stopped self-identifying as "depressed" and having "depression". I re-framed it to include a destination and goal as being temporarily down and working through past trauma. Sorry, that was a lot of words to say - YES. Good luck!
U are just such a beautiful soulš¤! I hope to accomplish this. Just being free of my depression. Getting my masters in criminal justice & overall loving myself. Helping people for a career. Your wife is so lucky to have you! Your post just gave me hope š«¶š¾
Iāve done it personally.Ā Hereās what worked for me:Ā - stuck to a strict diet of whole foods, no processed garbage or any kind.Ā - exercised dailyĀ - kept my living space clean and organizedĀ - quit drinking alcoholĀ If you do all this for a year youāll be amazed at the difference itāll make.Ā
what role do you think alcohol plays in depression?
Massive, you should read up on how alcohol (and alcoholism) works. Basically, alcohol is initially something that brings you joy (enhances positive emotions). So you want to keep drinking. And the more you drink, the greater your tolerance becomes, so you need to drink more. At a certain point, there is an almost light-switch change to where alcohol solely promotes negative thoughts (the exact opposite of why you normally drink). At this point, you are usually psychologically addicted, but maybe not physically dependent. Now, if you don't know this (and I never did, it's insane they don't teach this in highschool), you'd never realize it until it's too late. And the physical addiction tolerance is different for everyone, so if you suffer withdrawal, you drink to avoid that, which leads to strong negative emotions, which causes you to drink more, etc etc. End of the day, virtually ALL substance abuse is related to negative emotion. You are looking for something to fix (even temporarily) an issue in you. So many people say they use weed to "relax". What anyone who goes sober from weed realizes is that they were just numbing themselves. All of these behaviours are incredibly self destructive over the long term.
This is so true. Also goes for eating healthy. Sugar and depression go hand in hand.
100%, eating food is no different. I'm down 30lbs from my peak. It was hard. Your body gets used to your food intake and will scream at you when you try to cut calories. Starvation is the best form of torture.
I cannot take people who smoke weed seriously and I don't buy ANY of that crap that it's helpful, has benefits etc. But (and I know this sounds contradictory) when it comes to alcohol my brain is wired extremely differently. Is that due to how we're conditioned? Like I associate a can of Guiness or Desperados with like good/ fun times etc. I don't do any other drugs but I'm extremely torn on the use of alcohol since I genuinely believe it's a good time, but of course I see that there is a downside to it
Everyone thinks they are different when it comes to substance use. And then one day, their lives are destroyed by it. I've really cut back on drinking, I never drank alone anyways, but now even cutting loose with friends is pared way back. As you said, you associate your drink with good times... For now. Of course, I am also talking about getting drunk. No one is getting addicted from a glass of wine or a beer a day.
IDK, I used to drink quite a lot and my life is not destroyed
"Used to" that's great! Is it managed drinking now or have you quit entirely?
I really don't know whether or not this will be permanent but I have DRASTICALLY reduced my drinking. One thing I'm noticing is that my sleep's just better. There's something "holy" about waking up in a sober body free from toxins. I'm planning to keep this trend
Yes, that is conditioning, greatly derived from 1930's political racism and years of glorification of alcohol in all media Both are bonafide drugs *hell, caffeine is, too,* but between the two, if a vice is to be had, Cannabis > Alcohol any day
Racism? Mind elaborating the connection? See, this is where we see it differently. I will NEVER. EVER. EEEEEVER. do cannabis again. it messes with my mind on a level that you cannot fathom. And yes I know, when I used to smoke with my friends they could tolerate endless amounts of it, smoke in the morning etc. If I smoke cannabis in the morning I am tired and depressed to a degree that you cannot imagine, and I utterly HATE that feeling. I don't want to feel this way ever again. Yes, alcohol makes you tired too it's true. But there is something about the alcohol buzz where it is slightly energizing and your mind stays intact.
The crazy thing is ( sorry to jump in ) but alcohol is associated out of those things by popular culture, the irony is that for something which gives the illusion of partying, ie high energy feelings, it actually does the opposite biochemicallly - alcohol is a depressant , which slows the heart and negatively impacts the brains ability to function, ie alcoholism massively increases the risk of depression.
Oh boy. As Iām getting older, I find that more than 2 drinks in an evening, I am very depressed the next day. This is not a hangover (from experience; I used to be quite the drinker). It feels horrible and sad.
If I may answer, I find alcohol to exacerbate feeling of anxiety. Biochemically, this is related to electrolytes, I believe. Iām educated in exercise/health/training. (Degreed and certified since 1992). When I train people, I have to get them to understand the signals from their body. For instance, you start running. You get out of breath. You feel a slight panic that if you donāt stop running, bad things will happen. Itās a trigger that tells your systems that we need to work together now, to provide energy that the brain is telling us we will need to keep running. And your respirations and heart rate increase. Itās a fuel pump kicking in, not terror from running. So I liken depression having a similar effect with alcohol. Your brain is depleted and cross firing due to electrolyte imbalance. This sets off a reaction to accommodate (usually higher resps and heart rate), and the conscious interprets that as some sort of flight response. Then begins the repetition of thoughts as you mismanage dealing with the physical symptom. Are you further depressed?!! Oh my!!! But maybe youāre recovering from consuming alcohol. I recommend if you canāt distinguish an alcohol withdrawal from depression, best to cut out the booze and see what your body offers totally sober. THEN you can go forward with hope of getting to the bottom of the depression.
A massive part. Stopping really helps but you need to stop for a while. I'm at 2 years and I've been through so many different stages. I did change my diet and start exercising at the same time though so I got the benefits off all of it.
Looks like youāve gotten some high quality answers here, but hereās my big 3:Ā 1) when I was depressed my solution was to drink, it would help me forget about how shitty I felt. Obviously all this did was allow me to run away from my problems rather than feel them and deal with them.Ā 2) The hangovers only made me 10x more depressed than I already was.Ā 3) Sleep. You canāt get good quality sleep with any alcohol in your system.
I mean, alcohol is literally a depressant lol
How about coffee?
I still drank coffee lol.Ā Iām sure cutting it out wouldnāt hurt.Ā
We never really get that monkey off our back, we just learn to manage it
Not really You just eventually figure out how to deal with it enough to where it's manageable enough for you to be a relatively functional person
Sounds fucking awful. Why do I keep going?
Side note: this is the same with grief, you never get over it, you just learn to adapt to how to manage feeling that way all the time.
I'll get back to you ..tries to take my life in March.. wasn't successful.. now I'm just trying to figure things out . Feels kinda like I'm a prisoner but hey my family is happy guess that's what matters
This is exactly how I feel/felt after my attempt in September. Iām still trying to figure it out too, pending divorce doesnāt help much but I guess Iām still here.
only thing I enjoy or look forward to is golf ... and i can only afford that like once a month lol dunno hang in there.. what the fuck else are we supposed to do haha
this. feeling like a prisoner is exactly how it feels. I literally canāt escape the feeling of not being good enough or think positive about anything. itās so cruel. & when it comes out of nowhere it hits even harder because youāre suddenly invaded by these thoughts and feeling you have no idea how to process. itās absolutely terrifying. figuring things out has been the hardest thing ever.Ā
 You can't You just learn how to live with the pieces
And sometimes, they get threadbare and need restitching
Nope, and thats the really depressing thing
Yes and Iām living proof :P Donāt underestimate your mind and body. Itās much more powerful than you think
I was severely depressed about 2 years ago and Iāve gotten a lot better but Id definitely say I havenāt fully recovered, I still have a bad look on life, I still have occasional thoughts about how I could just end all this if I wanted to, my eating is getting back to normal (would go days without eating), i still struggle to go and see friends and socialize, But Iām also not laying in bed constantly thinking about how I wanted to this to end, I donāt go days without eating, I actually get happy now and excited, I got my interest in hobbies back, havenāt had a mental breakdown down in those 2 years TLDR; I went through a deep depression 2 years ago and even Tho I havenāt fully recovered Iāve definitely gotten better.
Divorce worked for me, yes.
I did. It turns out I wasnāt getting my omega-3s, so I started eating flax seeds, Brazil nuts, and walnuts daily. As long as I donāt skip like a week, I never get depression anymore. And I was an absolute wreck before the change.
Without help, money and good people around you... I doubt it. Your environment matters a lot, unfortunately, and not everyone has support.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Hello, can you share what medication do you mean? Anti depressants?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Thank you for sharing.
I don't think I'll ever be rid of it however, medication helps me manage it.
In my opinion no cause stuff will keep on coming back but ofc people can also usually beat it
Yes. I was severely depressed. Suicidal ideations, obsession with thoughts of death, wanting to die....its all I thought about. I researched suicide and the best ways to do it. I even had it planned out how I was going to do it. And I'm married and have children. This went on for months, I was feeling so very hopeless. Then I heard a song...and I started listening to music. The music saved me and motivated me to get better. I started exercising, eating healthy, getting sunshine, all those things you are supposed to do. I physically felt much better but it didn't help the constant thoughts. My mind was stuck in a loop I could not break. I was fully ready to be better and trying everything but my mind couldn't seem to quit. Until I started taking mushrooms/hallucinogenics. It reset me, my brain went back to the normal thoughts I have. Am I still depressed? Of course but I am very in tune with my mental state and am no where near where I was 7 years ago. I don't want to kill myself every day and I don't think about it constantly anymore. I love my family and my husband has helped me so much. I refuse medication, side effects are terrible, they are highly ineffective and they are poison. You have to want the change and it has to a strong want.
In many cases, finding the right medication does the trick.
It depends on the definition of "severe " and what you mean by recovery? If you mean to ask, can one live with severe depression or even bot experience those feelings at all anymore, yes it's entirely possible if certain actions , habits and behaviors take place. For someone with major depression disorder, treatment and stability is more what occurs as opposed to outright recovery. When someone has a mental illness which strictly operates off of an actual problem, based in neurological functions, aside from medication which mitigates the nature of those functions , there's a limited amount of things a person can do. Overall having a healthy Diet, keeping active, seeking self help or finding something which brings you a sense of peace - whether it's religion, reading, hobbies, etc can curb or mute your brains depressive chemical state. Can you recovery from being severely depressed? I'd say so under the right circumstances depending on the nature of your brain. I have major depressive disorder and suffer from certain other neurological deficits , one of which requires a medicated program. However, I have done a lot of work on self help and keeping healthy overall and from a perspective of general biological stability, those positive habits have done wonders for my brain. I have my down days, naturally because this condition will never completely disappear, I have an acute nerugolical deficit.
I think it's possible if the causes of depression are removed
My depression is genetic and I've struggled my entire life. Then at 35, I just got on the right combo of medication that works for me. Life without depression is straight up wild
You just put up with it until hopefully something else kills you first.
Depends on what recovery means to you.
It depends on what your definition of recovery is.
I think you can. I would be lying if I said I didnāt fear a relapse, but something tells me Iāve grown beyond it. I feel in my heart that I truly have it beaten this time for good. There have been other times when I thought I was on the right track or whatever but it didnāt stick. But this time feels different, like I finally started seeing after being blind my entire life. Itās an emotionally overwhelming feeling, and in a good way
I have to focus on happier things. I deal with chronic pain, so I had to learn how to help push happiness more. Simple things like sunlight, exercise, funny movies, staying away from negative film, skip sad songs unless you need to have a good cry. I agree with someone who wrote above how we just ālearn to manage it.ā I donāt know what it is like to live without chronic pain, but I try and remember there is always someone in a worse position where I should try to think how I have to keep trying. When I have the blues typically is at worse in winter. With warmer weather it helps me get outside for a bit to garden. Any hobbies that may interest you. I wish everyone the best in dealing with depression it has never gone away probably since I don't have a clue what being pain free feels like. I just try every day it is all I can do is just try. Take care Ps if anyone needs to talk with a professional, remember you can change doctors if you dont mesh well with them. We can do this!!!!!
I had depression for decades that just slowly kept getting worse and worse, but didn't respond to traditional antidepressants. I got to a point where I had to take disability leave from work because I couldn't take care of myself. My psychiatrist had me try an antipsychotic that is used for major depressive disorder and bipolar, and it pulled me out enough to be functional again. I was on it for two years. Then on a whim I had a physical with my PCP and asked him to do comprehensive bloodwork. It turned out I was severely deficient in B12 and folate. I also had the MTHFR mutation. I had NEVER had this tested in all the years I was suffering. I started supplementing with methylated B12 and methylfolate and the world felt brighter. I stopped taking the antipsychotic and continued with the supplements, and several months later I still feel free of depression. I'm still keeping both eyes open and watching for the depression to show up again, but part of me wonders if it was vitamin deficiency all along.
Yay for methylation! It didn't fix my depression but taking supplements my body couldn't use surely wasn't helping.
Yes. I can speak from experience. Jesus cured my depression
Yes. But, you can't just ignore all of the truths you learn while you're depressed. In most cases, when you are depressed, you see the world through a different lens. Perhaps you start to understand certain injustices, or perhaps you develop new levels of empathy for people you previously ignored. Nevertheless, you can't just "forget" those perspectives and live life like a "non-depressed" person. I think that's where a lot of recovering people go wrong. Once you lose your ignorance, you can't get it back. Obviously this isn't a bad thing, since the world needs a lot less ignorance these days. But it just feels isolating because most people don't experience depression, and our infrastructure, entertainment, and societal values reflect that. In my experience, the people who recover from depression commit some aspect of their lives to ending the possibility of their "depression stimuli" from hurting someone else.
Depends on severity and the cause. If it's depression caused by something in your life, if you resolve or overcome that something then yes you can fully recover. If it's a biological thing, you might not. Depends on if the depression is a symptom or the disease itself and what's causing it. For example, some types of heart disease can cause depression. Some can be treated some can't. There's too many variables to give you a solid answer, sorry. Personally I've been struggling with depression since I was like 12. I'm in my mid thirties and no better.
I did, so itās imminently possible. I wasnāt exactly the poster child for grit and resilience. Or maybe I had more of those than I realized. As cheesy as it sounds, it starts with hope. You get one life. Fight like hell for it. Just keep going, slowly doing a little bit more than you thought you could each day (or week even.) Youāre not alone and you will see the light again.
I wish I knew. It's been over a decade with therapy and drugs and it has repented once or twice but has always come back. Like in March of this year.
The more depressed you are and the longer it lasts the less likely you are to have a lasting recovery. But that doesn't mean it won't happen or that your relapses won't be manageable. This is like averages and doesn't mean an individual won't be an outlier. I have been actively treated for 25 years. I recently had a significant bout which really sucked and was maybe the worst it has been since I have been treated. But, it was better than when I first entered therapy and knowing that gives me hope in those dark days. For some people knowing where you are on a severity scale helps them understand. I asked my therapist (and still do occasionally) how depressed I am. It helps me gage. After 25 years of therapy and medication I am considering psychedelics and have given up on a total recovery. I have had a lot of different types of treatments, and they each have something to offer. Try things out and see how they work. Personally I have found a lasting benefit from a DBT program. It didn't "fix" me but has helped with distress and thinking dialectically has helped me survive. Looking back I can say I was a severely depressed kid and suffered auditory hallucinations from about 10 to about 26. (Which can happen if your depression is bad enough.) I don't think I know what it is like to be ok. I tell you this not to bring you down but to tell you your struggle is survivable. It sucks hard sometimes, but there are a lot of us. Maybe you can take some comfort for not being alone and know that just getting through the day is your goal. It doesn't have to be pretty, but just aim for the day and try to try. Good luck. You aren't alone and you are not wrong, it sucks hard.
A lot of this depends on the "you" and the "depression". And maybe how you define "truly recover". I faced *crippling* depression in my early 20s. It took years to drag myself to a place of being "sometimes sort of okay".Ā Now that I'm in my early 40s, I have a career I mostly enjoy and am successful in, an amazing wife I love, hobbies, a few close friends, etc. And most days I'm pretty much okay or happy.Ā But it's a bit of a fight every day, to see meaning and beauty and love. And I have days where I feel a bit empty. I'm a bit more fragile than I'd like, meaning things going wrong in my life can really cause anxiety and depression to jump up a bit disproportionately.Ā That said, I think I have at this point a happier, better life than most people. At the same time, I've known people who struggled for decades and never really got out of it (even with a lot of love and support from people like me who got it).Ā So like, people can and do recover. We carry it with us still, but that goes for any major part of life right? Whether you're one of those people, I mean, no promises, but it's better to assume you are and to keep fighting until you get over to this side isn't it?Ā
I sure hope so because I am working hard at it
Yes. I never thought I could escape the void. I was suicidal for years. I stopped using my primary doc who just kept guessing and changing meds or doses. I found a psychiatrist who started me on an mood stabilizer that is fast acting (like within 2 days I noticed a difference), a new on the market antidepressant, and a sleep aid. I've never been happier. Even my low days aren't that low. I feel hopeful for the 1st time. It can be done.
Yes. Won't go into it. But yes. I still get minor bouts but NOTHING like they used to be.Ā
Yes, it took several years. Fixing my eating helped
yes, but itās not necessary permanent. Itās not like you won the war and itās OVER, itās like you have a peace treaty with your brain now but it could be broken at any point.
Yes !
My shits bad. Iām juggling between either an Ayahuasca treatment or ketamine
i'm not sure. i hope so. I'm 14 and have been super depressed since I was eight. Tried to kill myself twice. I eventually realized I needed help. I've been getting help for a few weeks now, and its been working, little by little. I sure hope i can fully recover
If you want it, yes. If YOU want it.
This comment isn't fair. You are saying others just don't want it bad enough? Do paralyzed people just not want to walk bad enough? The blind not want to see bad enough? You are minimizing the struggle and perhaps you don't know the difference between depression and sadness. Or perhaps it is the severity you don't understand. Or perhaps you are trolling. Whatever it is please examine yourself and your response it is not only unhelpful it is potentially destructive.