To ask what actually helped you recover from depression?

[ThisDenimCat]

I’ve struggled with clinical depression on and off since my teens, but for the past few years I’ve been doing really well - enjoying life, working towards my goals, and feeling free of depression.

But since around December 2024, I’ve been experiencing a significant depressive episode that I just can’t seem to shake. I’ve tried all the usual things - eating well, getting enough sleep, taking supplements like omega-3 and Vitamin D - but every day still feels like a battle. I have no motivation, and I’m not finding any joy in the things that used to make me happy. The frustrating part is that, on paper, my life is actually pretty good.

So AIBU to ask: if you’ve struggled with depression and managed to get it under control, what helped you? How did you do it?

I just drank water and some herbal teas for five days. It was very hard. I researched it a lot before beginning - you have to be careful coming out of a long fast.

This is the stage I’m hovering around at the moment. Last week I took DC to school each day, got home and got into bed and cried. I just feel so unable to do anything; even basic cleaning at times feels insurmountable, when I’m mentally well I actually enjoy being organised and tidy.

Don’t think fasting is ever something they promote..

The first antidepressant I tried make me feel a thousand times worse. Honestly, it scared me and I was reluctant to try more. My GP convinced me though and I so glad she did. The second was okay, although it only improved things slightly. The third one, which I am still taking today, was honestly life changing.

I had antidepressants from 1995 until 2017. I had post natal depression then my husband had a brain tumour and died in 2012. In 2017 I decided to cut down and stop as life was feeling better. I then met my 2nd husband in 2018 and life changed for the better.

I think sometimes you have to live a long time to see life changes that benefit you.

I would. There are other options out there and finding the one that works can help massively. I found the first two weeks I did feel awful physically but after that they really helped and it was like a fog lifted so I could access other help. Without them attempts at self care and therapy had failed because I wasn’t well enough to access them

Prozac. Meant I could benefit from counselling and exercise but definitely needed the core medication

A total lifestyle overhaul made possible by covid. Extra time and better work life balance from hybrid working that become permanent, which gave me the opportunity to focus on my physical health. I stopped drinking, switched to a whole food vegan diet, took vit D supplements and excercised outdoors as much as possible, and still do. I prioritise sleep, rest and relaxation and before I do anything ask myself, is it either essential or fun/enriching? If it's not a yes, I don't do it. I prioritise the relationships that matter, making sure my time with other people is meaningful by focusing on them. I live in the moment and see the little picture and after a lifetime of fragile mental health, some very dark periods and trauma, I'm mostly calm, peaceful and happy as a clam.

I was on 40mg of citalopram, the max dose, for most of that time, so when my GP & I agreed that I should start coming off them I did it very, VERY slowly over several months with regular check-ins. I remember feeling as if I’d had a duvet wrapped round my brain & now it was coming off.

Removing myself from everything and everyone who didn't love me (turned out to be everyone 😄)

meds

Time 💕

Definitely worth a try. I've been on three different ones over the years because I still have anxiety problems, rather than depression and Venlafaxine (which is an SNRI as opposed to an SSRI) is the one that definitely works best for me. But I had mild side effects with all of them in the first week or so, it's very common and they do subside. If I need it for life so be it, they will have to prize it from my cold dead hands.

I’m on citalopram and I most likely will be on it for life. I need that + good sleep + exercise + part time work to function my best.

Adding psychology sessions and no alcohol. I have to use alllllll the strategies. Then I wonder why I’m doing well, it’s keeping on top of it

Respectfully, telling someone with a significant depressive disorder to just drink herbal tea for 5 days is bordering on dangerous advice.

Citalopram made me feel AWFUL.

Sertraline was better and did make a decent difference but I was sensitive to brand changes and kept getting side effects. It was unfortunate as I noticed work was so much easier in particular on Sertraline but my GP wouldn't agree to only prescribing the Brand rather than generic so I didn't get bounced around. After a horrible experience on Dr Reddy's brand, I discontinued.

I then went on Boots Max Strength St John's Wort and that was almost as good as Sertraline. After about a month there was a decent improvement and I had more motivation.

A HUGE difference was discovering I was neurodiverse and starting to work with that. A lot of my symptoms of "anxiety and depression" were actually just symptoms of being ND in an NT world and really struggling to cope.

Counselling WASN'T helpful and just re-traumatised me to be honest. I'd paid privately...for years. I regret it. I'm on the waiting list for CBT on the NHS now.

The St John's Wort got me into a place of being able to get out for walks and spending time in nature which really helps. I was low on Vitamin D...an injection helped the depression (again privately but £40 well spent) and I was also low in Ferritin. I don't think I would have had any energy or motivation without getting that sorted but it did take an iron infusion to get me right. I felt far less "depressed" once that was sorted and could see what had felt mental health based had been caused in part by a physical health issue which left me so depleted that I couldn't take any action to improve my life.

Now...ChatGPT is massively helping me. More than counselling ever did. I'm shocked at how good it is, and I basically use it as a therapist/life coach while I am waiting on CBT. It even creates little self care spreadsheets for me and sets up check ins. Free and worth a try.

Best of luck. Hope that things get brighter for you soon.

Medication and ECT worked for me. A lot of people are horrified at the thought of ECT but it's meant I can be a part of and enjoy family life and work.
I'd suggest booking an appointment to see your GP and talk through the options with them. No one here can assess you and tailor their advice to what's most likely to work for you.

Diet. For me it was keto.

Divorcing ExH

I agree with everyone recommending antidepressants and proper medical care (definitely NOT a five day fast!!) but in terms of other advice to supplement that - exercise has helped me enormously but it took nearly two years for it to work in terms of mental wellbeing benefits. I had to drag myself to personal trainer sessions once a week (I had to have made a commitment to someone else, I'd never keep it if it was only to myself) and I hated it and it made me feel worse. Gradually I got to some kind of neutrality and now I actually love it and physically feel the improvement in my mood. Strength training and Pilates are what clicked in the end. The reason for it is that it has enabled me to keep up with a good habit, made me feel like someone worth taking care of because I am taking care of myself and most crucially I get to see improvements and progress. Every time I manage to deadlift a heavier weight, I have achieved something. It makes me feel powerful and it makes me proud. But it took so, so long for it to be something other than another stick to beat myself with.

Finding a good therapist is the only thing that has really worked for me. Other things are helpful, like yoga and getting into good sleep habits, but therapy is the main thing. Took a few tries to find the right person.

Antidepressants, therapy, getting out in nature every day, and learning to say no to things I didn’t want to do.

Swimming. Outdoor swimming when possible but if not, just going swimming as early as possible in the day. The cold water just seems to reset me.

Diet regulation; no processed carbs that cause sugar spikes and lows.

Sunlight before a screen; no reaching for laptop/mobile until I’ve been outside.

Lastly, reading a novel for pure escapism.

Sending best wishes and hope you find something that works for you.

Anti depressants in the past and more recently retirement. I was so tired and stressed towards the end of my working life and it's such a relief to be able to just live at my own pace now.

Walking in the sunshine near water … whether that was beach, lake, river between sunlight and water I started to heal and make plans and goals for my future

whenever I feel a black dog approaching now I head to water

Are you peri/menopausal at all? I've always had anxiety & depression on & off, but when peri/men hit I had an unresolvable flatness and lack of joy and motivation that didn't cease until I massively upped my HRT (Oestrogen).

Since then not only have I also successfully come completely off my anti-anxiety meds (and stayed off them), I also realised that my lifelong regular nighttime panic attacks have completely stopped too.