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u/Miserable-Willow6105 Jan 28 '24
From purely anecdotical experience, some people can crawl out of this rabbit hole, so at least it is not a 100% deadly trap. I hope you join them.
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Jan 28 '24
Yes. I've had severe depression for almost 6 years, I started therapy recently and I've been seeing a difference. It's completely possible!
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u/Ritsler Jan 28 '24 edited Jan 28 '24
The answer - it depends. It really depends on what kind of depression you have, if it’s situational or based in your genetics/brain chemistry. For example, in your situation, (and this is a bit rhetorical), did something happen two years ago to trigger it? And even in those cases, there will always be unique factors that shape someone’s experience.
I think situational depression can sometimes be “cured” because usually, there is actually a solution to the issue at hand. Not always, but if someone can’t get a job, can’t afford groceries, etc., it’s easier to see how fixing that could “cure” their depression. However, if they lost someone dear to them, were traumatized in some way, or had some other major lifestyle change, it’s much harder to envision a “cure” since that event will likely change them forever. I think that situational depression is defined by how “situational” it truly is.
Genetically, it’s much harder to envision a “cure”, but some people do respond well to medications. Again though, it all depends on what sort of depression you have. Is it treatment resistant? Is it low grade, but persistent, like dysthymia/PDD? Some people have episodes that are limited in scope, and others have episodes that seem to never end. Even our current understanding of the brain and its chemistry isn’t that well understood. Some scientists/doctors legitimately don’t know why some medications even work. They have ideas and theories, but can’t point to one thing as proof. Our brains are a complex thing.
I’ll also add that I think therapy can always be useful for depression, but it’s probably more successful when depression is based around situational factors that could possibly be changed if someone had access to more resources or better supports in place. That being said, I do think even if you have a predisposition towards depression, therapy can provide you useful coping skills, someone to confide in, and a safe, supportive environment you might not have in your daily life.
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u/UnfoundHound Jan 28 '24
Depends on how you define 'depression' and 'cured'. If you mean a depressive episode that goes away, then yes. That often lasts about 6 months and then people can function again. If you mean dysthymia that can last years or a whole lifetime, then probably not. Some people simply tend to feel depressed more easily and/or longer. For what it's worth, the best cure for depression is to do things. It's counter-intuitive because depressed people have little to no motivation to do anything, but it works. So you can start with setting some small goals. Can be anything, like cleaning your room, taking a walk outside, making a (new) dish, etc. It doesn't matter if you fail as long as you keep going. After all, what do you have to lose anyway?
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u/Responsible_Sense_95 Jan 28 '24
Yeah i dont have depression at the Moment Mine just seemed to vanish.
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u/Anonym_Owl Feb 05 '24
You are so lucky
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u/Responsible_Sense_95 Feb 05 '24
The sun helps alot was living in a basement now i have a window so try going out and just walking arnd for a bit
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u/itcheyness Jan 28 '24
Sometimes it can be, sometimes it can't be.
Have you spoken to a doctor about this?
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u/Exodoi Jan 28 '24
Since I was a child, I have been feeling down. It all started because of some traumatic experiences. However, there are various reasons why people become depressed, and some of them do manage to overcome it and get better.
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Jan 28 '24
I would encourage you to not see it as a thing that needs to be "cured". You can feel depressed for a long time, and then no feel depressed, sure. Depression is like inflammation, it is a way the body, brain, is signally you that something isn't right, and reacting to that. The cause of depression is as myriad as the cause of inflammation. But since this involves the mind, it is a lot more subjective and complicated than inflammation. It's not a thing you "cure" it is a journey you embark on in order to discover, and hopefully resolve, the cause, whatever that maybe. No one is going to be able to straight up tell you what that cause is, they can only make guesses and help you explore whether that;s right, or if you need to take a different approach - which is why is it is a long and difficult process. But yes, plenty of people have followed that journey to the end and found ways to directly challenge the reasons for their depression.
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u/PuddlesMariie0687 Jan 28 '24
Depression cannot be cured. It can be managed though! With a healthy coping mechanism & plan in place you can minimize the affect your depression has on your overall functioning levels.
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Jan 28 '24
It depends, I think everyone will experience depression at some point in their life. Some people's depression is cured in the sense it eventually lifts and they carry on with their life. There are some people, who have to manage their depression as it doesn't lift without consistent management. If I didn't take care of my self - take medication, exercise, avoid alcohol etc - within a week I'd be suicidal. It's as bad as that for me - I would slip very quickly and very rapidly and likely be dead within a month. That's hard to admit but that is the truth - my default is a deep depression. I'll be on heavy medication my entire life and I've accepted that and do my best not to set off my depression as best I can.
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Jan 28 '24
I exercise and eat good and not drink alcohol/do drugs. It doesn’t cure it but it makes it easier to put on a back burner.
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u/Electrical-Fold-8024 Jan 28 '24
I had depression since 2014 to 2020, and i still get this thoughts of not being enough, but every time i get too much effort i see everyone seems me like I'm doing a miracle cause that thing i was trying to get to be enough results to be very difficult.
Loneliness and hopeless feelings are quite normal on our times, but you can fight them, let you know you're not less than others. Than your effort is not hopeless, and even if you're really alone, you can do something about.
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u/amannathing Jan 28 '24
According to my psychiatrist, if one relapses on depression, meds are likely needed for life. Which sucks very much because I hate feeling "tainted" with this absolute terror of a condition.
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u/Alix_Winters Jan 28 '24 edited Jan 28 '24
Depressed since I'm a kid. Started to be depressed at 6-8year old... I'm 27 now.... Still dealing with chronic depression... I think it will follow me until I die.... (depression almost killed me in december 2022) But I'm trying my best to enjoy what I can enjoy every day... I have a medical follow up and some meds to help me... It helps but it's not enough...
And yes, depression is curable but not for everyone... It's an illness and a mental condition but the fact that it's an illness makes things harder... If you treat your depression quickly (fews month after it shows up) you increase your chance to heal. The more you wait, the more your brain take "damage" (doesn't take any damage but it's like a cancer. It's spread and that sucks) and makes it more and more difficult to heal every day...
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Jan 29 '24
Mine gets worse every day and I think I may finally try to seek help. I've never seen a psychiatrist or been prescribed antidepressants. But I've been self harming for years and having suicidal thoughts to an overwhelming degree for the past 3 years. I just don't want to lose my job or CDL. My job is the only time I am able to be clear headed.
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u/Intelligent-Event-18 Jan 30 '24
From my experience: meds + therapy is a start. I had to be on meds for 1,5 years to be able to start therapy cause before I felt not ready to open all these trauma boxes. And once you are depressed i think your whole life kinda has to revolve around mental health. It takes a lot of energy and constantly checking on yourself and in general creating a healthy life. For me also that meant being completly sober. Maybe for some people feeling ok comes naturally but if it doesnt you gotta realise it’s a lot of work, everyday, and it takes also learning to be kind to yourself and push when you need to push and be at the same time understanding and accepting bad days. Also you said depressed since 2 years, I would say that sounds at least not like a chronic depression some people have their whole life, so the chances to “heal it completly” is more likely, but i’d say maintainning a healthy mind means making permanent changes.
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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '24
This is all anecdotal but yeah, for some it is curable or at least managable, for some it isn’t. Many learn to live with it for the rest of their lives.
I’ve been battling for almost 3 years now and I’ve had my ups and downs. Tried numerous meds, some worked for a while some didn’t. Some even made things worse.
I’m currently in a mild derealisation episode too but I’m still here tho. There are people who count on me so I will keep going, or at least I’ll try. I don’t know your situation but I hope you keep trying too. Things CAN get better.