[Acowsaysmoo]

I had my first major depressive episode about 6 months ago. It was absolutely awful. I felt like I couldn't do anything. I just cried and wanted to sleep constantly. I had very little energy or motivation and so much sadness and crying. I was barely functioning. I started therapy and antidepressants and started feeling so much better. I'm still going to therapy and taking antidepressants, but I'm starting to feel the low energy, no motivation and sadness creeping back in. Prior to this past year I had never experienced depressive episodes. I'm wondering why now in my 40s and why it's coming back again. Is this likely a pattern I'm going to experience moving forward? Thank you.

[mote.of.soul]

Hi Acowsaysmoo,

Originally Posted by Acowsaysmoo

...I'm wondering why now in my 40s and why it's coming back again. Is this likely a pattern I'm going to experience moving forward? Thank you.

I really don't know the answer to that, but it's my feeling that if a person has depression then you might be susceptible to recurrences in the future, yes. I think keep in touch with your therapist and doctor obviously, keep reaching out online as well, and gain the insights into your condition, thus arming yourself against any further depressions trying to invade your emotions, so to speak :-)

Yes, it would be a good question to raise with your therapist and doctor as well.

[Sunflower123]

Hello and a warm welcome to PC.

[Skeezyks]

Hello Acowsaysmoo: I believe this is your first posted thread here on PC. So... welcome to Psych Central.

You mentioned you started therapy & antidepressants & began feeling better. But you're now starting to feel low energy, no motivation & sadness creeping back in. You also noted you're in your 40's. (I'm 70 by the way!)

I guess what I can tell you is that what you describe is what I have experienced in my own life as well. When I would first start taking antidepressants & seeing a therapist I would feel better. But after a while I would be able to feel myself slipping backward again.

I suspect some of the initial good feeling may be due simply to the "excitement" of starting something new... of feeling like you're taking control & anticipating progress. However as the newness wears off, then so does some of the "shine", so to speak.

The other experience I had, though, was that the antidepressant I took (Cymbalta) never took my depression away entirely. What I used to like to say was that it "kept a floor under me" so that whenever I felt myself beginning to "sink" it would kick my sorry behind back up to a more manageable level. But I still had to work every day to keep myself afloat.

Is this likely a pattern you're going to experience moving forward? I can't answer that for you. I suspect it may be possible. But that's just my personal opinion. I think the only real answer may be: "time will tell." I think you just have to keep moving forward & working with the mental health professionals in your life & see how things develop.

Here's a link to an article, from Psych Central's archives, by our host Dr. John Grohol, Psy.D. on the subject of managing depression. The article also provides links to a number of additional articles on the subject:

Living with Depression: A Guide for Coping with Depressive Feelings

I hope you find PC to be of benefit.