Is Depression curable?
459179
you're always going to be at risk of recurring depression, it's similar to being a recovering alcoholic in that you can never really say you are cured, but that doesn't mean you can't feel better, with the right treatments, or that you can't live a full and exciting life.\nYou need to be aware of what triggered the depression, and have a plan in place whenever you feel those depressed thoughts coming back.\n  Exercise and sport are excellent methods of keeping depression at bay, as well as keeping fit :)
103942
There are many ways you can overcome depression that work very well. The most important thing to remember is that you can control your thoughts and feelings. You can learn to change habitual thoughts and feelings that bring on the moods of depression. \n\nOne of the best ways to combat depression is to stay active. Find activities that you enjoy and seek out new interest. People are usually depressed when they have nothing to do. Get active in your community, join a bowling league, take a class at your local community college, volunteer your time to an organization, or take up a new hobby such as stamp collecting or crocheting. Busy yourself with things you enjoy doing.\n\nBe positive! When life lets you down, make a list of the good things in your life. Even the small ones count. The list can include such things as your family, your friends, your job, your back yard, your health, and even your ability to grill or cook. List items that you are good at doing. You may think grilling a steak to perfection is no big deal, but I have no idea how to grill a steak without it being leather. So, that is a feat to be proud of. On this list put every little thing. Now, when you feel depression coming on, take out this list and read it over and over again. This may help you with your self worth. \n\nDo not let others cause your depression! You can allow others to hurt your emotions, or anger you and this can also bring on depression. Remember the person that is negative is not you! Do not let their moods influence your emotions. So, what they don't like your shirt, they don't like the way you cooked breakfast, or they have some other complaint. You like your shirt, you enjoyed breakfast, and their complaints are just that, complaints without any merit. I am not saying to ignore others, but don't let them drag you down. \n\nDon't sit around by yourself! Being alone and idle can bring on major bouts of depression. Everyone enjoys having others around whether in a small group, one on one, or big social functions. Get out in the world. Find like minded friends and family to occupy those times. \n\nIf you are still having problems with depression and just can't seem to rid your life of these feelings it would be advisable to visit your doctor. There could be a medical reason that is causing your depression such as prescribed medicines, menopause, or other illnesses.\n\nGOOD LUCK TO YOU!!
278784
I understand your desire to stay away from "sledgehammer" solutions that involve powerful, sometimes untested prescription medicines. When it comes to your health, remedies that are stronger are not always better. I have three things that have gotten me through times when I've been depressed, and they're all gentle solutions that I think will suit an intelligent person like yourself. \n\n1 - The first is what Freud calls the "talking cure". He insists that it must be performed by a psychoanalyst who you are paying for, but actually I've performed it by writing in a diary. The key is to be very honest, and try to find connections that you might otherwise be supressing, because these are the areas that need work. For example, what's the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of "depression"? If the answer is "flying a kite", then follow the chain... What do you think of when you think of "kite" and "flying"... You'll be surprised how quickly this takes you right down to an event in your childhood or an unresolved conflict that might have happened a year ago.\n\n2 - Looking for lies. A chair cannot make you depressed. A lampshade cannot make you depressed. Only another person can make you depressed. I believe it is because a chair and a lampshade cannot lie. Only a person can lie. Depression, it seems to me, comes from believing a lie. That conflict (between reality and the lie) takes up so much mental energy to maintain, it drains you as a whole. You may find, after using technique #1, that it leads to you to this conclusion #2. For example, after free associating your way to an event, you might find that it was when someone told you that you weren't worth a hill of beans. The problem is not that they insulted you, the problem is that you believed the lie. Beware, giving up on a lie that we've believed in for a long time is tougher than it sounds.\n\n3 - This one is going to sound goofy, especially after wading in deeply with the other two techniques. Get some light to shine on the cells in the back of your eyes. Go outside for an extended period of time without sunglasses (no need to stare at the sun or a light-bulb, indirect light will do). Use one of those gentle light therapy products like www.everlyte.com . Take a trip on a sailboat. Spend a few hours in open fields on sunny days. It's those cells in the eyes that produce much of the chemical that pills and herbal remedies seek to replace, but the cells in the eyes put the chemicals where they are needed, in your brain, and not in your stomach and everywhere else. This third technique will help you with the other two, allowing you to think clearly, and get out from being stuck in a loop.\n\nI hope this "whole-istic" answer is as helpful to you as it has been to me over the years. A gentle look at the whole picture is often better than a sledgehammer to just one piece of the problem.
313494
If you have not already sought out help from a mental health professional I stongly suggest you do so.  Depression is extremely common and it can be managed by therapy and/or medications.  Either pinpointing the source through therapy or finding the right medications for you may allow you to enjoy those things you once used to.
571857
Yes. Years ago I was sooo suicidal; I tried many antidepressants; but they didn't help enough. I ASKED for ECT and after 7years I am still alive and, and the quality of life is much better. It sucked at the time cuz I woke up with a headache and didn't know where I was. It screws with short term memory, yet it gets better over time as does the depression-if you are taking an antidepressant
942122
click here please:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depression#Treatment\n\nand go to doctor
1141845
you can get over a depressive episode, but chemical depression has no cure, only ongoing medication.
964403
Anxiety can be cured with cognitive therapy for sure.  Anxiety and depression are often found together.  If they are coupled, anxiety is often the primary disorder with depression being a result of it.  Clinical depression can be cured with cognitive therapy as well; the reason drugs are used more is because cognitive therapy is sometimes grueling hard work that some doctors and patients don't want to deal with.  Be very critical of anti-depressants because they can cause suicidal thoughts.
596398
Hi Honey,\n\nI too suffer from depression, and have now for about 17 years.  Recently I did something about it.  I stopped looking at it as a flaw I have in my personality and started looking at it as a flaw I have in my medical health.  I went to the doctor and let her put me on antidepressants and mood stablizers.  And guess what I discovered?  I'm not flawed and depression is not hopeless with no cure.  YOU CAN TREAT THE SYMPTOMS!  You have to let someone help you, please.  Go to the doctor explain whats wrong and let them give you medication.  My medication helps me alot: I can sleep now, I'm less worried about things, and every little thing doesn't just disrupt my life.  There is no magic pill that can make it all go away, but if you take your medication consistently and be patient some of your symptoms will be alieviated.  I'm living proof.
993349
Depression is more than just the normal, temporary feelings of sadness and hopelessness associated with difficult life events. The symptoms of depression are often subtle at first. It can be hard to recognize that symptoms may be connected and that you might have depression. Common symptoms include:\n\nDepressed mood. \nInability to enjoy activities. \nProblems concentrating. \nChanges in eating habits or appetite. \nWeight gain or weight loss. \nChanges in sleeping habits. \nDifficulty going to work or taking care of your daily responsibilities because of a lack of energy. \nFeelings of guilt and hopelessness; wondering if life is worth living (common). \nSlowed thoughts and speech. \nPreoccupation with thoughts of death or suicide. \nComplaints that have no physical cause (somatic complaints) such as headache and stomachache. \nAll of these symptoms can interfere with your quality of life. Even if you don't have major depression, if you have experienced a few of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks you may have a less severe form of depression that still requires treatment.\n\nHow is it treated?\n\nDepression is usually treated successfully with professional counseling, antidepressant medication, or a combination of the two. Often a combination of the two is most effective. People with depression usually can be treated as outpatients, but in severe cases a period of hospitalization may be necessary.\n\nIf you have mild or moderate depression, you may be diagnosed and treated by your family health professional and a therapist or psychologist. If you have severe depression or other psychological disorders or do not respond to treatment, a psychiatrist, a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems, may be helpful.\n\nLet your health professional know if you suspect that you have depression, because it is often overlooked. If you are diagnosed with depression, you and your health professional can decide on the best treatment. The earlier you are treated, the more quickly you will recover. 1
88046
there could be many reasons for depression. You may have alot going on or feel like your not wanted, needed or loved. Yes depression can be cured but it's REALLY hard to do. It really depends on what stage you are in. IM or E-mail free_help2@yahoo.com & they can help
496518
Depression will usually pass. Try herbal teas like camomille and rosemary. have a big goal in life, like what do you want to do in life? Singer, dancer, writer, artist, engineer, geologist, open a restaurant? What is it you want? Don't you want to travel, see the world, live the good life??? Life is a very, very precious gift, we are extremely LUCKY to be here, to be able to live at all. I couldn't be depressed AT ALL knowing that. Life is the best gift of all, and it only lasts a few seconds in the big scheme of things. Good luck to you, hang in!!
674064
I am not sure that you CAN cure depression.\n\nAs for St. John's Wort, be careful with that because it can cause reactions with other medicines you may be taking.  Such as birth control pills.\n\nKnowing you have depression is the first step to feeling better.  Talk with a doctor to discuss medicine options, see a counselor/psychologist, try a self-help approach and do some research on your own.\n\nDepression is something that can be dealt with and you can learn to cope with it.  The main thing to remember is that however bad things get, it will pass.\n\nHang in there and Good Luck\n\nP.S. Don't let others tell you that medicine isn't the way.  Depression is a sickness and should be treated as such.  If you are Diabetic you need insulin, if you are depressed and there IS a medicine that can make you feel better, why wouldn't you take it?
467964
Keep fighting! You can't give up, no matter how hard it is. You are loved, and there are people who would miss you, no matter how bad it looks. And truly, if you haven't already, do get help, because as humiliating or weak as it may sound, it is not. I got help and you will never know how good life is until you have lived without depression. If you had a disease, would you feel shame going to the doctor for it? Depression is a disease, and you don't have to fight it alone. Please, don't give up.
466216
Well, provided that you have been properly diagnosed with depression, it's possible you need to be placed on some long term medication. This will help regulate your body and brain into a more happy state of mind. You may also want to try some counseling to see if there are any underlying problems that you need to address. Good luck.
196110
Unfortunately, antidepressants are not a panacea.  They mostly address the symptoms, but don't touch the behavioral or cognitive aspects of depression.  So, situational, cognitive, or behavioral issues could make you susceptible for relapse and can best be treated in therapy.
562326
Get a purpose in life - eg. a job you enjoy, take relaxing walks in the nearby areas, or make friends...\n\nIf you are unable to get over the depression, you might benefit from seeing a psychologist: sometimes depression originates from chemical imbalance in the brain, which can't be helped by anything but medications. It is not a sign of weakness to see a professional before it's too late!