There’s no escaping the fact that depression is an awful illness. I’ve described my experiences and some things I do when I’m feeling low. I’ve also made my case in support of medication. At the moment, I don’t believe that the medication I’m taking is working. I feel very low all the time and extremely tired and I also keep getting headaches. I plan to talk to my doctor, and that’s always what I recommend you do if you feel the same way. So if you do get help, can depression be cured? Always?

After you’ve felt this way for months, it understandable to worry that you’ll feel this way forever and that your depression can’t be cured. The question is, is that possible? I’d love to say no, but I have had depression for over twenty-five years, so I have accepted in my case, it’s here to stay. I don’t want that to sound bleak, though. I am not depressed all the time, and there are weeks and months at a time where I feel normal. My medication, this blog, my husband, my sister, and my cats all make me happy and comfort me when I’m at my worst. I shower, brush my teeth, and even have a skincare routine. I’ve got a job that I’m doing well at, and my house isn’t a mess. I shop, I cook, I clean. What I’m trying to say is that I function.

Learning To Cope

Every now and then, the black dog appears, and I feel numb. I don’t want to do anything except sleep. Sometimes I can go to work, and sometimes I can’t. It is manageable, though, and while it’s not nice feeling that way when it happens, I accept it’s something I have to deal with just like anyone else with a chronic condition. Some people are in pain every day; others have to have help performing even basic self-care. One thing that always amazes and awes me is how resilient we humans can be. How much we can cope with and still keep going.

What You Can Do

This article, and this blog, in fact, is not about me. It’s about me trying to use my experiences to help all of you, my family of Musers 😃. So if you’ve been suffering depression for a long time and find it keeps coming back, this is for you. Here are my tips on getting ahead of it.

1. Don’t panic. Depression breeds negative thoughts, so it’s easy to get stuck in the mindset that you’ll never get better, and you might as well give up. No. As I said above, you’ll have horrible days, but you’ll also have less bad and even good ones. Please don’t give up.
2. See a doctor. If you haven’t already done so, seek professional help. It might be your GP, or maybe your workplace has a scheme that can put you in touch with a counsellor. You may need medication, some form of therapy, or both.
3. Have a plan. In my top tips for a low mood, I gave a list of 10 things I do to look after myself when I’m feeling down. Make your own. Don’t wait for a period of depression to strike, and then start planning. Have a list ready to go the instant it strikes. If some things don’t work, then try new things and revise the list. It’s a constant work in progress.
4. Try to have a support structure. When you’re depressed, your instinct may be to withdraw from everyone. It’s natural, but it’s wrong. When depression strikes, you need support more than others. Try to make it more than one person if you can; after all, if one type fails on a quad bike, you can keep going; it’s far more difficult if you’re on a unicycle. This support can come from your family, partner, best friend, doctor, or even a support group.
5. Watch out for triggers. As you get more familiar with your moods, you may find certain people, situations, or even books or movies can trigger feelings of sadness which may spiral into another period of depression. Once you’re familiar with them, you can decide whether to avoid them altogether or learn how to lessen their impact.
6. Look after yourself. Self-care is always important, but I find it’s doubly so when you have a chronic illness. My depression gets much worse if I don’t sleep enough, if I don’t exercise regularly, and indulge a lot in high sugar snacks rather than food I’ve made myself. I also need to spend time with others to avoid getting stuck in my own head too much. You might find this too or have a different list. Just give yourself a break, and make sure you look after yourself. 

Takeaways

I know when you asked, “Can depression be cured?” you were hoping for a definite yes, but please don’t worry. This topic was not meant to make you feel hopeless that your depression may never fully go away. Firstly, thousands of people every year do recover from depression, and it never comes back. That could easily be you! Even if it’s not, though, I hope my explanation has helped you see you can still live a great life if you make sure you get the help you need. Please do stop back here to leave comments about your experiences and to check out my other mental health articles.

If You Need Help

If you ever think about harming yourself there are people you can talk to.

Samaritans 116 123

Campaign Against Living Miserably 0800 58 58 58 

Childline 0800 1111