Depression - does it ever go?

[Spider12]

Firstly I can fully sympathise with how you feel

For me, it’s always there. This week has been particularly bad for no apparent reason. I can’t sleep on a night and I don’t want to get up on a morning. It’s a constant black cloud over me. I’ve been on a few antidepressants and had therapy but it’s always ‘there’. I have anxiety too so the 2 combined just fight each other

I wish I could be more helpful, but be kind to yourself. Try and focus on the ‘now’ x

Totally agree with this. Focusing on the now is something I’ve had to work at so hard but it brings me peace when I just take day at at a time

 

[ClockworkDolly]

I don’t think depression ever completely goes away. However, your ability to handle it changes throughout the years too, depending on the circumstances surrounding it. I have had depression on and off since childhood. Some days all I want to do is stay in bed and bury myself there. I find getting out of my pajamas and having to shower exhausting on some days, but I have to force myself to do it. Gardening and nature helps with my depression, in fact it is pretty much the only things keeping me alive.

 

[no-no]

I’ve had depression on and off for a number of years. I am on another anti-depressant and we’re running out of options.

This is the worst spell it’s been and it’s based on a family situation that won’t change, it’s something I have to deal with...but I feel unable to. I come on here, I get involved and have a laugh but I log back off and go back to life and inside I’m despairing.

Im quite open with people about how I feel so I don’t know if talking therapy is what I’m missing. Plus what’s the point in talking and crying and nothing changes.

Im just wondering if I’m missing a trick. Thanks in advance.

My depression goes back to when I was very young and I’d say the best it’s got is periods of “low mood”. I refused medication and the quick-fix talking therapies made me feel more helpless, but I’ve recently been doing intensive CBT with a proper therapist. This time I’ve kept an open mind because I was at a very low ebb.

Obviously I trace a lot of the depression to a turbulent childhood. I entered the sessions looking to address social anxiety/perfectionism, then it quickly led on to self-worth. I have never practiced self-compassion and didn’t realise how this impacts your entire life. I always thought self-worth was The Secret/journaling mumbo jumbo. Sounds silly if you know about identity, but I was raised/conditioned that my existence was to meet other peoples’ needs, I didn’t have my own.

Even just having someone (professional) external to your family to bounce ideas off about what you’re going through I’d say could be really beneficial, at least you wouldn’t be despairing alone

 

[LittleMy]

I think it’s something that will always be there but you learn to manage it. I know for myself it’s not as straightforward as getting rid of it. I don’t think I’ll ever be free of it, I’ve been depressed from childhood and have many demons. I can’t comment on therapy as it’s not something I have personally felt able to seek out. I’ve accepted that I will have good days and bad.

 

[ChampagneBox]

So sorry you’re feeling like this! I don’t have depression but I have really bad anxiety and I feel exactly the same as you, that nothing will change and it’s never ending and exhausting. I understand how you feel about feeling unable to tackle your family issue, but it sounds like that’s the very thing holding you back! I have counselling and actually I’m stuck on something atm, and I know it’s making my anxiety and ocd ticks even worse. I really recommend it! It can be slow going, I’ve been in counselling since 2014, and lockdown has brought other stuff to the surface for me which I’m starting to tackle, it’s not a linear journey but you really do feel better for it! It’s about finding the right fit for you, I really recommend going private if you are able, shop around for the right fit for you. They can help you find a way to tackle whatever issues you have, sometimes you’d be surprised at the route you take to tackle the problem! I hope you can find a way through to help bring you some peace

 

[yoannn1]

Try therapy it definitely helps. Just have the strength to stick through it gets worse before it gets better!

 

[Gloria Rostron]

I’ve had depression on and off for a number of years. I am on another anti-depressant and we’re running out of options.

This is the worst spell it’s been and it’s based on a family situation that won’t change, it’s something I have to deal with...but I feel unable to. I come on here, I get involved and have a laugh but I log back off and go back to life and inside I’m despairing.

Im quite open with people about how I feel so I don’t know if talking therapy is what I’m missing. Plus what’s the point in talking and crying and nothing changes.

Im just wondering if I’m missing a trick. Thanks in advance.

Ask if you can go back to the old medication. I found that switching the medicines around works for me, and stops me reaching the effects of tolerance. That works for me. Also, don't be hard on yourself. You can't help being ill.

 

[Youre a wizard Harry]

I think for me, it’s always there in the background. I have periods where I feel good, but something will happen which most people would find stressful but ultimately forget about it in a couple of hours. I won’t be able to forget about it and will have really negative thoughts (I won’t go into any further detail as it may be triggering). I also echo what another poster has said about not being able to get into confrontation in case they start crying, I feel the same.

Having said that, at the moment I am in a good place and I feel grateful to an extent that it currently takes something to happen to trigger those thoughts, rather than experiencing it all of the time, like I do when I’m in a bad period.

Sending love to everyone. It takes a lot to battle your brain everyday