Have you recovered from depression?

Question

Feeling pretty low at the moment, and tired of fighting depression everyday. Been on prozac for 3 weeks now although its lifted my mood slightly I'm still really low.

Is there any end to this? Would be comforting to know of others who have recovered from clinical depression.

Answer 1

Hi friend, i had depression from 14 years old and have over the years taken all kinds of meds to try to control it, nothing worked, last year i took another overdose but that never worked thank you God, i got put in the nut house for two weeks, don't honestly remember a lot about it, only they stopped my big valium dose, put me on a strong pill called risperidone, had great hospital food, true it was great, let me go home and i felt terrible but i was told to be strong and positive, also that the world as we know it will not go on, only the strong will survive.

I t never worked just like that, i moved out of london and admit i missed it greatly felt isolated, i still took my new pill with all of it's side effects, i.e. put on 3 stone, erection troubles, funny rashes etc, tried to be positive but months went by and i was down but not exactly depressed but not much energy, then about april this year it happened just like that, i was strong and positive and not depressed.

I remain strong, have no signs of any depression, feel happy every day, suddenly in july this year my sexual erections returned normally despite taking my risperidone, my sleep has returned to a very good pattern, i wake feeling fresh and welcome each morning, i know my new life in the country has ended my depression and i have no intention of going back.

I love life, i love being alive, when i get bored i get up from the chair and go for a long walk, i used to drive like a lunatic but guess what i don't miss it, infact i prefer walking to driving.

I have no real social life but i'm working on it, there are some lads down my road who go night fishing, i hope to see them and ask if i can go along with them, i hope as i talk to more people to find another male who will jog along with me.

I have other medical problems unrelated to depression, owe £60000 in debt, unemployed but have hopes of it skill training leading to work, so overall i'm getting stronger everyday, it is such a relief no more depression that i will not allow myself to return to that condition again, i can face problems and try to resolve them if possible, if not i do not intend to worry myself sick again.

Truly i love my present home and life, i have very little pocessions now, i live in my mums flat, i do own a dog who truly loves me and my laptop which gives me entertainment and satisfaction every night, all of my life revolves around saving money and the enviroment, i have very little money left after paying my creditors, so if i need something special i must eat less but i survive feeling great, no depression.

Answer 2

Let me honestly say this.  I have before. and am again.  Here is a short description of my story.

In 2001 I went into a deep depression out of the blue.  Couldn't stop crying for anything, no reason at all too.  I was put on Respridol and Paxil.  The respridal made me gain a lot of weight over time,  it also made me feel really like a zombie, but then after 1 and a half years and 30 pounds more, I went to another doctor who said i didn't even need the respridol and weened me off slowly  I quickly lost 30 pounds in 5 months and felt alive again, i did however remain depressed but not as much.

It took me really about 1 1/2 years to fully overcome my depression.  I was fine for about 5 years until i had a relapse of my OCD which then made me depressed again from anxiety,  It has been about 1 1/2 years again and I am feeling a lot better and only on Lexapro now.  I don't cry anymore but my OCD is manageable.  

One thing I have learned is that depression doesn't last forever.  Just do what you can in order to stay busy, exercise for real,  it is easy to just have no motivation to do anything and i have been there, however all i end up doing is moping in my own sadness.  Therefore I balls up and go to the gym because there I will start to sweet and feel better for even a few hours, then thank God when you go to sleep and pray that the next day is better.

Do not believe that everyday is a happy day else you will faulter, moods change throughout the day and enjoy the good times and flow with the ruff times.  It takes time, but it is quite true.

I know God pulled me through it but I also had to fight for it and I am a living proof you can also pull out of it, have faith in Jesus if you are christian or whatever higher power you believe in.  It works, embrace this time as an opportunity to eventually help others going through the same process.

I have had it a total of 2 times and random days that remind me of the past feelings, but i always know there is a light at the end of a tunnel.  Sometimes it could be a train, but just step out of the way and keep going.  

Believe. Have faith, and remember to not beat yourself up for this at all.  Accept it and you will eventually get better.  Believe me.

The only reason i am a bit depressed now but I am controlling it is because of my OCD which I will not go into because it is really depressing and my divorce that occured 2 weeks ago.  Other than that, my life is grand.  

It's the small things.  Hold on to them.  If you need anything contact me. God bless+  

Answer 3

Yes I have recovered so it can be done. I needed counselling and antidepressants to help me get over it. It depends why you are depressed, for me it was stuff that happened when I was younger that I needed to work through with a counsellor. I've also had post natal depression with both my kids and I've got over it with help. With my youngest child I had the love and support of my hubby and his family and I went on St Johns Wort tablets which are a herbal remedy for depression. I knew the signs so I started taking them before the depression got a proper grip on me. It still took nearly a year till I was better though.

Give yourself time and you WILL get through it.

Try and set aside time that is just for you, even if its only an hour a week and do whatever you want, whether its sleeping, swimming, reading a book, anything that makes you feel happy and relaxed.

Good luck hun, don't give up because its a fight worth winning. x

Answer 4

cheer up, i have S.A.D (seasonal  affective disorder) so in the winter time i was really depressed. it took a while for the medicen but you should exerisize and they have these lights that are like replicating the suns light and give off something. go outside because vitumum d helps to. and u know um have s*x and eat chocolate and exersize alot because these all realise endorphents and endorphents make you happy =] i truley hope u feel better, i know how it is to be lost =/

Answer 5

Hang in there. I spent 8 years being severely depressed. Tried to kill myself and all that but ill keep this short. You can do it once you except that life sucks and its what you make of it. You have to try to change the way you think as well. It was tough for me i took pills, went to doctors, got put away in the loony bin for it. None of that helped. The only person who helped me was myself cause in the end thats all i have. Now though Im extreamly anti social & have panic attacks, anger problem, trust issues, hear voices, paranoia and see shadow people. I'm not happy but I'm not depressed I'm just excepting with my situation.

Answer 6

3 weeks? I fought for 8 years before the light at the tunnel became strong enough for me to drop my medication, and even now I still have bad days.

You will find eventually that the good days outweight the bad but it is hard. hang in there and you'll make it, i'm sure of it

Answer 7

Hi, i was diagnosed with clinical depression around 6 months ago and i was prescribed prozac, which in my honest opinion didn't make any difference whatsoever, i came off prozac without notifying a doctor around a month ago which is apparently dangerous but i didn't notice anything then either. I am now not taking any precription drugs and am just living day to day in a constant state of depression, often feeling suicidal. I honestly belive there is no medicinal cure for depression and i do have doubts over whether there is any way to overcome it, the only hope i have is that there is a hole in my life that needs to be filled, whatever it may be and when that happens may be (maybe a good girlfriend?) i will then be rid of the empty, desperate feelings that i have carried with me all my life. Sorry it's not the optimistic outlook you were hoping for but it's just my opinion based on my own experience with the illness.

Answer 8

Hi there, you poor bunny you, I have been there twice and come back, each time took varying lengths of time and different stages,

It's not something you forget easily, I went through several types of anti-depressants before I found one that seemed to do the trick, and when I say trick it wasn't like magic.

You don't say if there maybe a root to have caused it, or have made you more susceptible.

I understand what you mean by the ever on-going fight, I found that sometimes I had to let myself have a " few hours off " and just do the curl up and cry thing, 3 weeks is a short time to be able to make any inroads to being able to function as you used to.

One day at a time, I even got down to one hour at a time and moved up from there.

You will get there, I promise, one day you will realise that you have been able to do something that you hadn't been able to do the day before, and then there will be days when you think you have taken a backward step.

Nothing seemed to help me, hobbies, interests, I just didn't want to know, didn't have the energy, never mind the motivation !

I was given a kitten by a friend, I then had to do something, it wasn't his fault and little by little he gained my interest, he is 10 now, I'm not saying that's the answer, it just helped me.

I wish you the very best and hope your depression runs a short course, my empathy is with you

Julie  

Answer 9

Yes, you can do it.

I go to the gym every day, I swim, run, or I have an aerobic class. It helps me - try

Answer 10

It takes time, no magic bullet I'm afraid.

Exercise and good positive conversation helps.

Answer 11

After retirement from work I had a very deep depression. Only with the help of my psychiatrist and a severe medication I recovered. Now my doctor has prescribed a so called maintenance medication to avoid falling back and thank God it works. This maintenance medication is a reduced dosage of antidepressants.

Be sure there is an end to your suffering. Be absolutely strict with your medication!

Good luck!

Answer 12

I have two daughters who had depression really badly for a number of years.  Medication, counselling, CBT (? I think it is called that), exercise, herbal treatment - in fact any thing and everything was tried.  They are now both really well.

I wish you well.  Keep looking for answers and try everything you can to help.

Answer 13

I like move'o's story - although I don't subscribe to the God and Jesus thing ... however their's is a true and real story and something i can in an instant relate to ... and all the answerers you have here all have something to contribute to you.... depression is a way of being, influenced by the way you are feeling..... why you feel that way is something only the individual can identify and deal with.... each of us have our own story but there is a common thread ..... to read through and past the depression we feel, where this comes from is contentious: a frame of mind, a chemical imbalance, a trauma trigger .... the bottom line is that you recognise that this 'present' person is not the real 'you' - you know 'who' 'you' are - and this isn't it ... hold on to that thought and stay focussed on what you (deep down) know to be true .... accept advice - take from it what you feel is useful and helpful ... try and exercise the strategies suggested - you will find something that is useful to use .... accept the medical help but take control - recognised when 'something' isn't 'working' bring it to the attention of those who can help to change/modify it .... listen to your body and reconcile it with the way you feel - if it's not right then change it - but don't give in to it ...;. you are a worthwhile and valuable person ... you are worth it .... to both you and the rest of us .... without you we, the rest of us, suffer a great loss .... don't allow your illness to deprive you and us ..... your recovery (each and every time) is your ability to get through this and allow us the joy of knowing you for that bit longer ....

I ask your god to bless you.....

thank you for being you .......

Answer 14

Yes i have had depression and its the worst thing to go through. u feel tierd emotional, alone, distant and like there is no end to it but there is. I have had depression twice and have come through it both times and it has made me a much stronger person u r strong to be going through depression ive been there and ive come out the other side just take each day as it comes keep yourself busy surround yourself with family and friends, u done the right thing by seeking help. well done and chin up there is an end one day u will wake up and be ok its weird but true x

Answer 15

I have recovered!!!! 3 weeks is still a short time for the meds to work. I'd give it a good month.  The trick is to figure out a way to deal with your depression and work through it or find a way of coping with it. I'm completely recovered!  No meds anymore!  I'm generally a happy person now, but eveyone has their bad days.  

Answer 16

yea there is an end to it

Answer 17

Fighting depression didn't do anything for me. I had to let go and let it come over me, then pass. I remind myself that it always comes in waves. If it gets incredibly bad, I just look around and take relief in knowing that eventually I won't be around anymore to be depressed. If I can make it through this day and find humor in the things everyone takes too seriously, I can make it through the next. I avoid letting myself be obligated to anyone or anything. I don't let people stress me out or make me feel guilty anymore; it's all manipulation. Sometimes I'll focus on something small, like the feel of a fabric or the color of something sitting next to me. I live in this very moment to avoid the future that can't be predicted and the past that can't be changed.  

Answer 18

You still need to give the meds a little more time to fully get to work. I know it can be frusterating - but even if these don't work, they can play with the dose, or even change the med to one of the dozens of others that are out there. If this one works, even just a little bit, that's valuable information so that next time they can get closer to getting the right dose or med for you.

I'm bipolar, and unmedicated, so I've never properly "recovered" from depression, though I've gone into remission for up to a year. Although, more than recovering from it, I've found that learning how to cope with it has made the days shorter and talking about it has made me feel less alone.

Answer 19

Everyone is right, it takes time for the medication to enter your system and do its job.  If you still feel low in a couple of weeks go back to your doctor, but in the meantime give them a call so that they can reassure you and monitor you.  Depression is the worst and I have suffered with it for over 20 years now (i am 40).  There is an end to it however, it is one day at a time.  Try going to a small walk, get a movie out and tell your friends how you are feeling.  A lot of people suffer from depression and i have found in the past, that if i talk about it my friends will help lift me and I do the same for them.  take care and i hope that one day soon is a little better than the one that came before it.  

Answer 20

Ive had depression 12 years but only now have I started reducing medication.Persevere and things will work out.Good luck x

Answer 21

When I was treated for depression in my late teens and early twenties I was told not to look forward.   Just try to concentrate on one good thing in every day and enjoy it.   The problem can be that, as I was told, 'you think too much'.  

I hope that you start to feel better soon.   There is an end to it but no-one can predict where it is.

Answer 22

I changed my complete lifestye personally, and it helped me and i was out of work, relationship problems, debts, it was all too much for me.

Try not to sit back and take it lying down. Remember, the more you do nothing, the more you will think about what you are depressed for and it won't help.

good luck in the future

Answer 23

I used to work in the mental health service and I know of people who do recover, my partner is one of them. It seems such an impossible journey to make when you are at the beginning of it, but you can make it!

Keep on with your medication and with time, and persistence it will come.One day you will be another success story!

Answer 24

Yes. And don't give up.

Answer 25

I have been fighting against depression for 6 years. It takes a lot of work on yourself, a lot of thinking and a lot of steps you have to take to get through it. I am getting better day by day

Answer 26

You didn't say if you were doing therapy as well as the meds.  Prozac alone may not do it, most people find some relief using both therapy and medication.  If you aren't getting much relief with Prozac, you might want to try something else.

SSRIs generally take a couple or more weeks to build up and be fully effective, so you may want to wait a little longer before switching.

Good luck.  It's hard, but there is hope.