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How long does 'Depression' last for??

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I apologise in advance if this has been done.

When I was a few years younger I suffered from depression. When I say that I was never on any tablets, though seen my Doc regularly and always refused to take them coz maybe you could say I was too proud to show my weakness. I mean I was soo bad, I wouldn't even leave my house for months.
Anyways over the last year or so I really do believe I've broken free from it. It's just dawned on me this has been the happiest I've ever been. Nothing spectacular has happened to me to make me this way. I just found I have started to appreciate the little things that has got me through my past and I'm always grateful for what I have now.

What I'm slowly trying to get to is that see when someone becomes an alcoholic and then doesn't drink for soo many years - people still say 'You will always be an alcoholic'' Is that the same for someone that suffers from depression -

Just something I was curious over --

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You can recover from depression, but the memory always stays.

    Every time you feel sad or stressed, there will always be a nagging fear that it is about to start again. It won;t, but it's the fear of it coming back that takles the time to get over.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Kermit
    You can recover from depression, but the memory always stays.

    Every time you feel sad or stressed, there will always be a nagging fear that it is about to start again. It won;t, but it's the fear of it coming back that takles the time to get over.

    Yep, thats right.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Kermit
    You can recover from depression, but the memory always stays.


    So it is possible it can strike back?!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Depressives are more likely to have another attack fo depression than a "normal" person.

    But the question you asked proves my point- you worry about falling back every time life is hard.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I wouldn't say I was worried, I was just noticing how I feel like a different person to what I was a few years ago and had the conversation with my brother and he told me.... once you've suffered from Depression you'll always have it lurking at the back of your mind just depends on you on how you handle it - if you know what I mean.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah I was the same, didn't take any pills or anything to get better. Just got my self out a rut. I think the key not worrying about something like what if I get drepressed again, it'll only get you down.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i dont think i'll ever break free, i can be happy and ecstatic but ill always be self concious and when i get upset i get BADLY upset and fall back into old patterns
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My personal experience: I slipped back into depression last Christmas after being fine for about a year. I felt the second bout was much worse than the first but that doesn't mean it actually was. It just felt like that at the time. However, I've managed to recover a lot faster because I know I can beat it and I'm not as scared to ask for help as I was the first time around.

    Don't know if that helps in anyway but that's my experience.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Infinite
    However, I've managed to recover a lot faster because I know I can beat it and I'm not as scared to ask for help as I was the first time around.

    Don't know if that helps in anyway but that's my experience.

    Yeah coz it has made you feel stronger known you can rise above it. Done it before, you can do it again. I see what you mean. I think I'm like that :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Cruel2BKind
    So it is possible it can strike back?!


    The answer to this question really depends on what type of depression it is. If it is clinical depression it could well come back, as it's usually an imbalance of chemicals in the brain that causes it. If, like me it is situation based, then it's possible it will come back, but nowhere near as likely. If something major happens you may find you get depressed, but it probably won't last. I'm going by personal experience here by the way, as sometimes when something really shit happens I will feel depressed for a few days but I'm so used to it now I can pull myself out of it. Hope this has been informative. :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cruel2BKind I've been in pretty much the same situation. A couple of years ago I was told that I was clinically depressed and I refused to take any medicine for it.

    I managed to break free from it on my own too and I'm fine now, really happy and enjoying my life again.

    However I think that it is possible to relapse (if that's the right word) into it again if things start going badly for you. Although if you pulled yourself out of it once you could do it again if you were in the same situation.

    I don't think it's likely to creep up on you for no reason so I doubt it's anything to worry about :)
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    littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Originally posted by Char_Baby
    i dont think i'll ever break free, i can be happy and ecstatic but ill always be self concious and when i get upset i get BADLY upset and fall back into old patterns

    definately :yes:

    i am the same and it scares me shitless tbh as whenever i feel low for whatever reason i am scared that it is all coming back and stuff.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by littlemissy
    definately :yes:

    i am the same and it scares me shitless tbh as whenever i feel low for whatever reason i am scared that it is all coming back and stuff.

    I suppose in a way, I'm sort of like that - but don't feel I'm not at any risk to fall back into that pattern...

    When I have my days were I feel a little depressed, I still feel I have a little courage in me, where I know I'll get over it . I just keep telling myself, if I was able to recover from before were it was really bad - then the problems I have these days are nothing to what I use to have to face.

    If that makes sense :confused:
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    littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Originally posted by Cruel2BKind
    I suppose in a way, I'm sort of like that - but don't feel I'm not at any risk to fall back into that pattern...

    When I have my days were I feel a little depressed, I still feel I have a little courage in me, where I know I'll get over it . I just keep telling myself, if I was able to recover from before were it was really bad - then the problems I have these days are nothing to what I use to have to face.

    If that makes sense :confused:

    that makes sense, it really does. and i think that it is great that you do have the courage and stuff to just say "yes, this is just a bad day, it is not me reverting back into old habits.

    i wish i was like that :(
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by littlemissy
    that makes sense, it really does. and i think that it is great that you do have the courage and stuff to just say "yes, this is just a bad day, it is not me reverting back into old habits.

    i wish i was like that :(

    Awww... thanx - Glad someone made sense of that... hehe

    I think that's what helped me get through it. Without this sounding a litttle cheesy :p
    ....I just started learning to appreciate the little things in life - when you realise how lucky you are, you start to appreciate what you have already rather than looking on what you don't have, and what you should have, etc. And I just got stronger from there.

    Ok, I'm only up so if I seem to be talking in riddles or going round in circles.... hmmmm sorry hehe :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That's the point I was trying to make, albeit badly.

    Every crap day sounds a little warning bell, when it is natural to be unhappy sometimes. Unhappiness triggers a fear of "slipping back", even though you aren't.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yes you can get better. and you can stay better. but usually what happens is that you just learn to deal.

    i used to say it was something you could never escape from, but now i think that was me giving myself an excuse in case i ever wanted to give up on myself again. it's very easy to say it's an illness, and that you 'can't help it', but i really think that's a cop out. (and before you all start, yes i do understand, i've had depression longer than some of you have been alive). but it's an illness, not a life sentence, and the sooner you realise that, the easier it'll be.

    let's use diabetes as an analogy: very serious illness, life threatening at times and usually incurable. you won't ever be better, but you can change your habits, and your attitude. you learn to manage it. you get on with your life. or you waste away. the choice is yours. but i recommend the first option.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i don't know whether this is true or not (as i haven't yet come out the otherside) but once you get there and see it as an amazing achivement, it's lots easier to get out of the pattern if you do get into to it because you can spot it better....but it also leaves a message in your mind what it's like to fall back.....though it is so easy to let yourself go....:(
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