[DechanDawa]

When I read the description of the dementors for the first time in the Harry Potter books I didn't connect it with depression. Over the years everyone has come to know the dementors as a metaphor for depression...and a brilliant one at that.

I feel like in the past 18 months every good memory has been sucked out of me. Not only that but in the present I find little happiness.

My depression is slowly slowly slowly lifting...but I find myself in a place where everything feels wrong.

I am wondering if others have felt this way coming out of depression.

I have had a few other major depressions. Oddly, I don't remember much about how it felt when they faded away.

I don't find many descriptions online of people coming out of depression without medication. If you had the experience of coming out of a depression without medication I am particularly interested in your comments. Thanks.

[Cyllya]

My depression naturally fluctuates, so even before I took medication it would periodically clear up on its own. It seemed about the same as when it was improved by medication.

I tend to not really notice or feel a decrease in symptoms. (This applies to depression, other mental health problems, and physical health problems. Like if I have a headache and either I take a pain killer or the pain goes away on its own, I'll stop noticing the pain, and I might retroactively realize I stopped feeling pain at some point, but "lack of pain" doesn't really feel like anything itself.) It's just that the stuff depression felt like mostly stopped happening.

After my last long-term depressive episode, I have had trouble getting back into my previous level of functioning. However, that might have to do with my other life circumstances and/or my usual executive dysfunction.

[DechanDawa]

Originally Posted by Cyllya

My depression naturally fluctuates, so even before I took medication it would periodically clear up on its own. It seemed about the same as when it was improved by medication.

I tend to not really notice or feel a decrease in symptoms. (This applies to depression, other mental health problems, and physical health problems. Like if I have a headache and either I take a pain killer or the pain goes away on its own, I'll stop noticing the pain, and I might retroactively realize I stopped feeling pain at some point, but "lack of pain" doesn't really feel like anything itself.) It's just that the stuff depression felt like mostly stopped happening.

After my last long-term depressive episode, I have had trouble getting back into my previous level of functioning. However, that might have to do with my other life circumstances and/or my usual executive dysfunction.

Thanks so much. This was really interesting. You actually seem highly self-aware.

[Fizzyo]

I never really get out of depression completely, but when I am better the world comes into better focus, the colours look brighter my thinking is quicker and I begin to smile spontaneously. I begin to be able to recognise beauty in the park and enjoy my music.

It's like the darkness lifts a little and the sun starts to come from behind the clouds.