Hi Fuzzybear. I remember near my lowest point driving and listening to a program about depression on NPR and having to hear that my hippocampus is shrinking, that depression is a life-long condition, that the only hope it to manage the symptoms. I also felt like my body was falling apart. I could barely function. It was really awful. I also tried many things with only partial successes at best. I tried everything the experts said, but nothing got me out of it. I believed the experts. It FELT like a chemical imbalance in my brain. I was dragging myself through life.

That was the way it was. This is a message to you, dear Fuzzybear, from the other side. I am probably older than you, but my depression is now essentially completely dissolved. The relief I feel is just amazing. It is as if I had been chained to something for my whole life and now the chains are finally cut. I am no longer tortured by thoughts and feelings. I am not afraid anymore. I am not afraid of my own thoughts and feelings. I feel SAFE in the world. I am not afraid of anything that might or might not happen to me in the future. I no longer have those horrible feelings of helplessness in social situations. I feel healthier than ever and full of power and vitality. Even just sitting quietly, I feel my body healing itself and gathering energy. My thoughts and even my senses feel sharper. I feel like being depressed was a constant drain on my body as well as on my mind, even when I wasn't actively feeling negative things.

What your therapist told you is just factually wrong. You CAN cut those chains and it makes no difference how old you are at all. Fuzzy, have a look at this, it describes how I escaped:

http://forums.psychcentral.com/depre...n-escaped.html

and see if it rings true for you. It is so easy to try, I think it's worth it to try. I really think I have this figured out, Fuzz, but even if I am wrong or it doesn't work for you, the most important thing I want to say to you is to keep actively searching for something that works for you. Don't be satisfied with "managing your condition." Don't wait for the experts. They don't really know what they are doing. If SNAP CLUB hadn't worked so spectacularly for me, for instance, I would have a serious try at meditation. I think that this is very promising as well. You can see that people report that it really works and no one who gives it a solid try is saying that it didn't help at all. Exercise and improving your diet always helps also. Most of the things that are known to help depression are great for you anyway.

Also, as I always say, see post #45 in the thread above and be active about improving your health and checking for medical nutritional issues. I actually had one of these, and fixing this was part of how I got better.

SNAP! - vital