For me I have known depression to really be evident in my life when I don't have the positive lifestyle behaviors that I did when I am not depressed. For me, the positives are like that which misscath007 wrote...healthy eating. I'd add to that exercise. I know that I'm getting in the depressed mindset when I start thinking of reasons to not go to the gym in the morning, or skipping breakfast...that is the beginning of the slippery slope...unfortunately, once you step on the slope, the slipping happens so subtly that you don't even realize that your heading down it...

I think lifestyle changes can help, and when we apply the tools in therapy, the depression becomes a bit more tolerable, and even remits to the point of being nearly non-existent...

Now if was only able to take my own advice, I'd be posting in the success stories part of this forum...but depression has a funny way of making you go one step forward, two steps back...

Best of luck to all of us that are here, struggling and searching and healing...