Depression: Permanent or Temporary?

Hi all! I hope you're all well. I'm admittedly having a weird night. Feeling a bit sad and I'm not sure why but I want to cry. I just feel very lonely and stressed out and I got to thinking about some things.

I've been depressed since I was 13, for the past 11 years. And sometimes I wonder if I'll be like this for the rest of my life. I go to therapy and am on medication, but...idk. I always get in ruts. I can't go a month or even a week without getting in a rut. It's very frustrating now. I don't know what it's like to just...live life freely and not be overridden with low moods or anxiety.

Do you guys think depression is lifelong (by that I mean relapsing constantly) or temporary? Hope that's not too silly of a question. It's just that sometimes it seems like I'll be like this for the rest of my life. I don't know what to do anymore. Thank you!

Everyone experienced depression differently depending on experience and cause and probably a lot of other factors. For many people I don't know that depression is ever cured but rather managed. That said, it can be managed rather well with coping skills and/or medication.

I can tell you my experience... After a crushing stint of depression and almost suicide about 13 years ago I was hospitalized and then unable to work or barely get out of bed for about a year.

I recovered and found a new job. I've been at that job for 11 years now.

I have not been on any antidepressants for about 9 or 10 years. My therapist moved away and I didn't feel the need to replace him... So, for about 9 or 10 years no medications and no therapy.

Those years were pretty good. Lots of laughter and joy. Occasionally a short stint of what I recognized as a light depression lasting maybe one or two days. I think my coworkers would notice because I would become "quiet" or so I've been told.

I think key was recognizing the symptoms and applying the coping skills I had learned in the hospital at the onset so that things would not sink.

Overall life was good with regard to the depression.

Last December I had a strong relapse. I recognized the symptoms immediately and immediately began seeking help by looking for a new therapist.

It took a while to get proper treatment and I suffered greatly during that period.

I am now in a DBT partial hospital program and I believe this type of therapy, new to me, is well suited to me and I think it is starting to help.

So maybe for future I will try to have therapy lined up as an "emergency" plan for another relapse hopefully not for another 10 years.

So yes I think depression is lifelong but I believe it is manageable and does not necessarily require that you accept constant frequent relapses.

If your therapy is not keeping you above water to your satisfaction ask about other avenues. Personally I've found the DBT quite effective and would recommend looking in to it. No guarantees of course but there are other things you can explore as well.

Good luck Starry Prince.

It is not a silly question, but is impossible to answer.

Sometimes it is a matter of finding the right meds or therapist and only get it once. Some have it come and go and sometimes it doesn't matter what you do.

I have been fighting it for 21 years, but it is not a constant. I am always depressed but the levels fluctuate. I was able, through starts and stops, get two degrees during that time but soon after crashed hard and haven't been able to work at all since then.

You didn't mention that you are seeing a pdoc or therapist. If you aren't please do. You just might find a solution.

I'm 49 and been fighting Depression off and on for most of that time - until this past year. I took some great therapy and ECT which ripped me out of the clutches of Depression. This is the first time I have gone more than a year without being horribly sad.

its a tough question to answer in my experience depression can go on for years i have had periods when its gone away for some time and it comes back and never truly goes away

very very important question....each person is different

I have had chronic depression since my teens. It has come and gone, sometimes worse than others. What I'm going through right now is worse than any other time I've experienced it, and I'm trying to get through it the best I can, but I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's so constant and so heavy... .

It's different for everyone though. There are different kinds of depression. Some people suffer from it once and recover. Some deal with it chronically like me.

Either way it always sucks.

Seesaw

Thanks so much for you responses everyone! I am sorry it took so long to respond back. Things have been very tough for me and everything is taking more effort than usual. It's hard. It's difficult, and I just want to sleep for days, but I am trying. I'm surviving.

Thanks so much for giving me your personal stories and opinions. What everyone said makes perfect sense.

I have been looking into DBT and I'm thinking of maybe switching to that sort of therapy. It seems to be getting quite popular and I really like its focus on the acceptance of emotions.

Again, thanks so much everyone!!

I am feeling steadily better with the DBT. No promises that it will b be effective for everyone but it is worth a try if you are interested. I'm now looking for a DBT based therapist to continue with once I am done with the intensive outpatient program.

Good luck starryprince. We understand how depression zaps one's energy and motivation and makes everything--EVERYTHING--difficult or more difficult.

Rock and a hard place. On one hand, if we say it's never "permanent," that goes against all of the evidence showing that some people have it in varying degrees all through life. If we say it's "temporary," but it comes back, then that theory is blown.

I've been diagnosed with depression because I meet most of the criteria. But, sometimes I wonder if it's some other type of emotional problem. I think I have some PTSD because of several traumatic experiences, but my doctors don't seem to want to go there. Regardless of the label, it's anxiety, fatigue, hopelessness, isolation, and more. Why I've been stuck in a rut for several years in a row is beyond me. It feels permanent, but my docs all say that it could turn around at any time. I hope they are right.

But, I also believe that if I do manage to get out of this bad place, I will need to be prepared to fall back in later, too. It's a vicious cycle.