[InfiniteSadness]

My depression is viscious and sneaky just like my anxiety and other things i have. I want to know theres hope from people who have gotten better.. Because the depress always comes back for me. I'm past just diet and exercise at this point- so any medication experiences or ANY thing that helped hugely because little isnt enough right now.. (my depress is also very strong/unrelenting and affected my personality)

[gayleggg]

Yes, it can get better. In fact, just a few months ago I was in a severe depression and had been for about three years. I had given up hope and was suicidal. With a hospitalization and change in all my meds, I'm like a new person.

[Altered Moment]

Last winter and spring I was in a spot where I was very seriously suicidal. I had given up all hope and didn't believe anything would work. After all I had been trying everything for twenty years. In my mind there was no point in even trying. Somehow when I am in those spots I at least manage not to miss appointments with psychiatrists and therapists. So there must be some hope in there somewhere even if I don't realize it.

So my doc said well lets try this new one called Fetzima. I said yeah ok whatever. Well it has worked better than any med ever so far. Same one Gaylegg is on. It hasn't been perfect. I have had ups and downs, but nothing severe. I don't know how long it will keep working as they tend to poop out on me. But I had the best summer I have had in many years. Now is always the absolute worse time of year for me and I am doing ok.

The point is we can't ever give up. We have to keep trying whatever might work. Don't give up hope. Things will change.

[vital]

Hi InfiniteSadness,

Originally Posted by InfiniteSadness

My depression is viscious and sneaky just like my anxiety and other things i have. I want to know theres hope from people who have gotten better.. Because the depress always comes back for me. I'm past just diet and exercise at this point- so any medication experiences or ANY thing that helped hugely because little isnt enough right now.. (my depress is also very strong/unrelenting and affected my personality)

There is more than hope.

For me "SNAP CLUB" worked rapidly and really surprisingly well

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

completely dissolving a life-long depression in my case.

Please check #45 above for any medical issues you might have missed too, by the way. It's easy to miss something.

I have noticed multiple people reporting a huge benefit from just meditation. They almost all report that you have to be a little patient and do it consistently for a couple of weeks. There's a thread about this in "depression success stories". I haven't seen a single person say that they seriously tried meditation and it didn't help at all.

- vital

Quiz: Are these people happy and vitalized or depressed and helpless?

SNAP CLUB

[Fuzzybear]

(IMO) so long as you're not allergic to all meds (which is rare(?) ) and most important, never give up, there is always hope

[InfiniteSadness]

will i most likely be on medication my whole life? I don't just have depression but other issues as well.

[wolfgaze]

Yes you can navigate your way through your depression. I am finally free from it now after going through life with long periods of being depressed, having anxious thoughts, and harboring a low self-esteem. Meds did not work for me when I tried them - they just masked & numbed my emotions rather than helped me get to the source of them. Plus there were side effects that created other complications.

InfiniteSadness, have you explored many self-help type books to expand your awareness and gain insight into the nature of the mind and how it operates? Have you found any practices that you can engage in which promote relaxation (even if temporary, short-lived)? Do you keep your sensitive emotions bottled up inside and do you resist/fight experiencing them? Have you ever contemplated writing everything down even if you don't save it - just as a means of allowing your thoughts & feelings to surface so you can counteract the effect of keeping them suppressed/repressed?

Just some ideas/suggestions.... I really just want you to know that you are not 'stuck' or 'trapped' in how you currently feel. Your state of being is not static (fixed), it's fluid (ever-changing). You absolutely can alter the way that you feel and reach a state where you are at peace with yourself. Always keep the intention to refine yourself, and never give up. : )

[Altered Moment]

I think a lot depends on the core causes for an individual.

A combat veteran who was happy and healthy his whole life before he deployed and then experiences severe traumatic stress in combat and then comes home and develops depression has different core causes than I do.

A person who in childhood was abused, neglected, abandoned, didn't get their emotional needs met has different causes than a combat vet. The combat vet may have very high self worth and self confidence and the person who's development was effected as a child may have very poor self worth and self confidence.

Someone with a family history and is strongly predisposed genetically and biologically is another case.

In all three cases there may be structural and functional abnormalities in the brain that need to be corrected. As wolfgaze said things are very fluid. The workings of the brain and mind are changing all the time. Techniques that work in bettering the functioning of my mind may not work for you. And visa versa. Medication may or may not play a role in it. Finding what works is what is important. Consistently applying all the techniques that have been proven to help. Throw the whole book at it and keep trying. Things are fluid and ever changing.

What do you think the core causes of your depression are? Identifying core causes may effect how best to treat it. For example I am not going to do trauma therapy but I do go to therapy. Low self worst and thinking of yourself as a failure all the time might mean focusing on changing your belief system and value structure with self help books or a therapist or a good support network or all three preferably.

[Altered Moment]

Or a case of mild to moderate may respond much better to some technique than a case of severe chronic depression. It is highly individualized and working with a good psychiatrist and therapist who know you very well can help. Plus what you do on your own.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Altered Moment]

Child abuse
Neuroimaging of child abuse: a critical review

Traumatic Stress (this does not just include combat vets but all kinds of situations.)
Traumatic stress: effects on the brain

I could post a hundred links on genetics and biology of depression.

The pre frontal cortex, the amygdala, and hippocampus keep coming up over and over.

[InfiniteSadness]

Still dont believe it can get that Much better.. but miracles do happen

[Nammu]

Do you have a therapist or doctor you can talk to and check out the various alternatives! The best way to deal with persistent deep depression is with a professional. Every person is unique and treatment with meds and talk therapy is different for everyone. We can give you some ideas of where to start if you need them.

[InfiniteSadness]

Still havent got that much better.. Should i seek a med change or increase?? Any alternative/non med ideas? Even though most non-med things havent helped much or very little.. which is kind of disheartening. Like its Very much out of my control to an extent.

[artichack]

For me it was finding the right medication.....been on them since the early 80's.....Prozac the first......now switched from wellbutrin to remeron....really helped with sleeping....depression.....been 2 years without a major bout.....(15 MG) taken at night before bed. Only side effect...put on 20 pounds....but hit the gym that much harder ....lost 40......don't give up....I like the fluidity thought ......always changing...I agree your body and brain are different everyday.....ever changing......best of luck

[InfiniteSadness]

Originally Posted by artichack

For me it was finding the right medication.....been on them since the early 80's.....Prozac the first......now switched from wellbutrin to remeron....really helped with sleeping....depression.....been 2 years without a major bout.....(15 MG) taken at night before bed. Only side effect...put on 20 pounds....but hit the gym that much harder ....lost 40......don't give up....I like the fluidity thought ......always changing...I agree your body and brain are different everyday.....ever changing......best of luck

Have you had any luck with vitamins or natural supplements? Ive tried some but not many have helped that much

[eggplantlife]

Thanks for this. I needed this. Ups and down. We need encouragement that we are going to get through it no matter what road we take. Let's not give up. Let's keep fighting and healing. Support here means so much. Other people speaking out that things can get better really helps. For me, a while back, that Tim Gunn speaking out about his depression and that he is doing well, really help me. Then others here who mention that they are better and they come back to tell us helps too.

[ajohnson45]

Honestly I don't think it will ever get better. I'm never going to experience relationships or anything normal people experience. I'm 17 and kids younger than me have had girlfriends. Honestly it is pathetic.