I have been a depressive most of my life. I do not believe that episodes just "go away." When things are running better in my life and I am financially stable, I can turn away from low-level depression. When life is not stable, I tend to fall back in the pit.

For me, depression is more like diabetes than a cold: it has to be managed. A low dose of an antidepressant helps; a larger dose does not produce any greater improvement.