can anyone tell me how to recover from depression, and the effects it has on you?

Answer 1

Whatever you do, I wouldn't trust a doctor who simply tells you take a pill, as though it were a "disease."

Answer 2

Six Simple Steps to Help Fight Depression

• Get help. Don't be ashamed of needing medication, and don't give up until you find something that helps. And see a therapist.
• Identify your feelings and moods. Depression is a self-destructive effort to avoid feeling. Accept that emotions are natural and helpful. Learn that mood changes don't come "out of the blue" — they are always started by an event, a memory, a dream. Use the Mood Journal to identify what starts your mood changes.
• Challenge depressed thinking. People with depression remember and blame themselves for bad events, while they forget about and give others credit for good events. Their low expectations mean they often don't prepare adequately and give up too easily. Worst, they think they are essentially different — damaged somehow — from other people. These are all learned habits of thought that can be unlearned. Pay attention to your assumptions and beliefs.
• Let others know. Depressives fear intimacy more than most people. We put on masks for the world, because we believe our true selves to be shameful, unworthy. But this belief is wrong. When we're with someone we can trust, sharing our thoughts and feelings — even if they seem unimportant — is good for us.
• Take care of your self. Learn to pay attention to messages from your body. Depressives abuse themselves by not eating right, not exercising, then expecting to work 12 hours straight. They will deny a minor ache or pain until they have an ulcer or a chronic back condition. Take time for moderate exercise, eat healthy but delicious meals, and allow yourself some pleasure in life.
• Practice detachment. We spend far too much time and effort trying to control things that aren't worth the struggle. Many things that worry us are really unimportant; we've just gotten overinvolved and lost our bearings. We may find that we're trying to change things that we realistically cannot change. Instead of battering your head against a brick wall, learn to walk away.

Answer 3

Someone in the world who is listening might be able to say just the right thing....and I hope it happens.....I do not want anyone to have to suffer from depression. Since I was a child there has been something wrong with my brain, and so I fall into the biological depression category. Thus, everything in my life could be near perfect, and it would have little positive effect on my brain.....I have tried many medications for depression and for the brain.......I have also mood disorder, depression, avolition, catatonia, attention deficit, and sometimes perseveration type thinking. So, it is not simple depression, easily eliminated by prozac or something. My father, who also has problems, once told me never to look down on medications for the brain-mind.....because having something wrong with your brain is no different than having a disease in the rest of you.......your brain is an organ, and it too can be 'ill' and in need of helpful medication. It is a falacy to think you can THINK yourself or ACT yourself out of this kind of illness. But there ARE medicines that can help even the most desperate cases, and I AM ONE. Two weeks ago I was willing myself to die, and could not get out of bed in my shade darkened room. But then, I began to take ABILIFY with my add helper RITALIN........and I eliminated WELBUTRIN.......and suddenly for the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE........I understand that question my doctor always asks me, which never made any sense........'do you ever feel joy (consistently) or happiness in anything, any activities....?'...my answer was always NO......even though I loved others, it was not the same 'feelings'.......never in my life did I understand the term.......'warm fuzzies'......but I tell you, even if this is temporary.....I do suddenly understand what it is like NOT TO BE MISERABLE.........what a feeling others must have......I wonder if they appreciate it.......how blessed they are to have normal joys that biologically depressed people are prohibited from feeling by their OWN MINDS. Oh, this is not a pitty party......I just came to tell you to KEEP HOPE......and to let you know what helped me.......medicines will help...abilfy is helping me, now, like NO OTHER medicine ever has..........thus I will testify that medicines will even help you accept the love from others more easily........and to see love more clearly.........in other people......to see how beautiful other people TRULY are......and you are included.......

Answer 4

There are two routes open to sufferers in broad terms: taking anti-depressant medication, or to resolve the issue through counselling or therapy.

The anti-depressant basically stop the feelings of depression, but don't of course address the route cause - the thing making the sufferer feel depressed. Counselling is hard work and emotionally challenging, but will often result in the person being able to identify the cause and resolve the issue causing the depression: self-esteem, paranoia, emotional problems from childhood, etc.

The symptoms are hard to describe and can vary. In me they were confused with the feelings of anxiety as well, meaning normal everyday life was difficult to cope with. The major symptom I suffered from the depression was a feeling of neglect and I often thought about suicide as a way out.

I ended up taking the counselling route, and 4 months later was much, much better but it was hard work. I'm glad I didn't reach for the medication, as I feel I wouldn't have resolved the issue - but I sometimes identify with those who take the pills as the counselling was gruelling.

You might be able to find out more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression

Answer 5

If the depression is real bad you may not be able to do it alone. I couldn't, I had to take medication. The medication made me feel better after a couple of weeks. Then I was able to exercise more, stop isolating myself, talk to people about my problems, etc. If your depression isn't that bad (and I hope it isn't) then increasing your physical activity could help. That sounded ridiculous to me, but it works and works well. You do have to get to the root of the problem eventually but you need to start feeling better soon.

Some people who have answered you suggest NOT to take pills. There is no shame in having to take medication. I may have to take it for up to a year. Oh well, at least I am not lying in bed anymore for days on end.

Good luck to you.

Answer 6

It depends on the severity of depression whether mild, moderate or severe depression. A person with depression will have sleeping problems (early morning wakening), loss of appetite, weight loss, low energy, Low mood, reduced libido, feeling of hopelessness and/or worthlessness. Sometimes feel life is not worth living.
If depression is mild or moderate, some psychology interventions like CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) are useful. For moderate to severe depression, psychiatrists consider medications with or without psychotherapy. People with depression are encouraged to participate in more activities e.g. occupational therapy and other social activities. Some psychiatrists consider ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) for very severely depressed patients especailly if medications are not helping or if they are in life threatening due to not eating properly and continuing to refuse to eat.

Answer 7

Yahoo Groups depression-anxiety
http://www.dbsalliance.org
"The Feeling Good Book," Dr David Burns, and do the exercises. It is the BEST help. $8 in paperback

Answer 8

sometimes depression is cuased from the feeling of loss of control. Take control of your life. Write down goals however simple and accomplish them. Find something everyday to succeed at. Work on your self esteem everyday!

Answer 9

I've found morita therapy to be very helpful

Constructive Living by David K. Reynolds is a great book

Answer 10

u just need 2 calm down and look at the bright side, and if u hav alot of depression, it could lead 2 hurting u or someone else. just calm down. (my mom treats depression and is a counselor at 2 schools)

Answer 11

you never recover. I have been bi polar manic deprssive for as long as I can remember. You can control it to a point, and that is with medication and therpy. Good luck.