Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder often starts to exhibit itself at the start of puberty. 10-12 or so as dysthymia. Then the major depressive episodes will start popping up, long periods of depression followed by longer periods of normalcy. The latency period between major depressive episode typically grow shorter and shorter until the disorder peaks at around the age of 35. The only way this can be diagnosed is by looking at the patient's long-term history and noting the pattern.

Take me for example: My first major depressive episode was around 16, then I had another at around 25, my next at the age of 32, then finally at the age of 36. I've basically been in a 5 year major depressive episode ever since and won't ever dig my way out.

Now this, of course, is the recurrent pattern for Major Depressive Disorder. Many people will have a major depressive episode that comes on at any age and 2/3 of people will recover fully. These people are survivors. They made it through and won't have it again.

So when people talk about Major Depression, there are seemingly two types out there. The kind that people will recover from and those that endure a repeating pattern of it.

People like me can only fight for the rest of our lives. There's no surviving, only the daily struggle.