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Mental health

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Original poster

Can you ever fully recover....

7 replies

luckywinner · 19/03/2012 13:28

or do you just develop strategies and coping mechanisms? I just want to get some sort of realistic expectation of my life.

OP posts:

Tyniclogs · 19/03/2012 13:51

Speaking for myself, I know I can never be complacent. I have developed lots of coping strategies and I've got to know myself and know what situations or signs that will not be healthy. However I am also someone who was suicidal at 20 and living on anti depressents, spent time in hospital, thought I'd never have a good life. Now at 40, I've been with my husband for 19 years, survived PND with 2 DS, got good friends and a lovely life. I think if you're more sensitive you have to protect yourself to the rougher patches that you'll encounter. Better to go on the offensive than wait for trouble to hit. I'd rather have had those harder times so that I can appreciate how good I have it now.

Hope you find your own way through.

madmouse · 19/03/2012 13:54

Recover from what? I have battled with PTSD for 3 years and I would now say that I have recovered. There are scars, what happened to me was truly shockingly painful and that will always be so. But I'm strong again, and happy. Certainly not coping, but living to the full.

dottyspotty2 · 19/03/2012 16:37

Depends what from personally speaking at this moment in time I can't see me ever being the same but hopefully I'll be a better person one day.

Heyyyho · 19/03/2012 16:38

I can honestly say I never recovered from my breakdown, I was very young too. But I made a life, made progress and found my way. But I am not the person I was before, no.

ChiefPotterer · 19/03/2012 19:06

In my opinion-yes you can make a full recovery-with the right ADs/medication, obviously if your depression is triggered through situational or health issues it may be more difficult as these issues would also need to change/improve. If like me your depression was a chemical imbalance this can be corrected and life will resume as normal (touch wood!).

Original poster

luckywinner · 19/03/2012 19:14

I suppose I mean recovery from depression, a breakdown. I am now almost two years from a suicidal breakdown. I have made great progress due to drugs, therapy and a great psychiatrist. I have also had a third dc, whom I adore. Today has been a down day where I feel like I have relapsed into old ways somewhat. It has been building for a week or so and I suppose I just feel frustrated that I didn't head it off sooner with the techniques I've been taught.

But I don't want to return to the old me, because the old me fell apart. And I like the new me and my life. I just don't want to suffer in such pain again.

OP posts:

musicposy · 21/03/2012 00:33

Yes, I think so, but I think you always have to be alert for signs that you might need some help again.

Even situational depression, I think you can learn to cope with it whilst on ADs and then manage off of them - certainly I have. But I'm alert to signs of not coping. I have the odd bad day, but if they get too many then I will know to go back to GP.

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