Depression Question???

[Heather]

This has more than likely already been asked on this site.

But if you have depression do you ever become totally cured and totally get over it?

Because from all that I have read if you have had it once you are more vulnerable to getting it again etc...

Does this mean that I am going to be vulnerable to this for the rest of my life???

Heather...

 

[Ashley-Kate]

...

I also heard that too .. but they may be more talking about people thaat don<t really get treated for it like see a psychologist and well resolve there issues .. sure you may be more vulnerable but not nessesarly .. kind of like cancer... they are not ever really cured they are in remission.. it doesn<t mean they<ll get it again ever but there risk are slightly higher.. hope this was of use o you
chow
ashley

 

[David Baxter PhD]

To say that you are "vulnerable to depression" may mean at least two things:

1. you have a biological or genetic vulnerability, probably caused by difficulty maintaining your neurochemistry in an appropriate balance - this is likely to be true only for a small percentage of people who are diagnosed with depression - if this is the case for you, then you can learn how to better manage the symptoms of depression but it will be more a case of management than cure

2. you have a "personality type" or certain personality traits that make you more vulnerable to depression than others - if this is the case for you, remember that it's not all negative - the traits that make one more vulnerable to depression include things like a well-developed capacity for empathy and perspective-taking, introspection, self-questioning, worrying about other people and their feelings, the capacity for strong emotional connections with other people, etc., etc. - and these are of course the things that make you who you are and that make you a person who others love and want to be with. It's not likely you really want to change this. Thuis, it becomes a question of learning better self-care, self-nurturing, finding a balnace of being there for other people and being there for yourself, asking for as well as offering suppoert and help, etc.

 

[Eunoia]

I think it's kind of difficult to say that someone is "cured" from depression. or any other mental ilness for that matter, or as Ashley pointed out even sometimes medical/physical ilnesses. It's more of a matter of learning how to manage your symptoms and gaining a greater understanding of what depression is, how it affects you, and what is in your power to get through that. if that means, taking meds or going to therapy, then that's part of working on ie. being depressed. but on the other hand, there is no use living one's entire life being scared of "relapsing" or falling back into a depressive state/episode. sure, it's a scary thing, but being aware of the possibility that it might happen and again learning more about your depression helps you almost to be more "ready" when need be. Depression doesn't define you. It's something you're dealing w/ but in terms of your life, you have so much going for you. You seem to be a very empathetic person and have a lot of knowledge about a variety of issues, you're a caring friend, and you have goals in terms of where you want to go w/ your life (ie. childcare). Hold on to those qualities in your life and about you, and don't let the thought of "will this always be a part of my life, when will it come back" etc. rule your everyday thoughts... it may be a possibility for the rest of someone's life, but I mean, we're all prone to catching a flu the next week but we know what to do when that happens, right?

 

[Heather]

Thanks all for the answers, I guess that I stressed myself out because I read a lot of info on depression and it said about it not going away etc... I am just over it you know.

I really love what you wrote about the personality thing Dr Baxter.

Thanks all Heather

P.S. Depression and Mental illness runs in the family as well so I guess that doesn't help!!!