Depression - can you cure yourselft?

[unhappy]

Is it possible to do without anti depressants and/or therapy - anyone done it? Would like to pull myself out of this current bout without pills - no time or money for therapy - any ideas?

Thanks

[unhappy]

I have been thinking more about counselling and think it is really what I need, I really want to talk and find ways of regaining part if not all of the old me - Lauriefairy if you did manage to find any free services that I might be able to use I would be very grateful - thank you in advance.

[Lauriefairycake]

ok, any chance you're of irish descent? I have a friend who is a therapist at www.liwc.co.uk and apparently the waiting list is quite short at the moment

I'm waiting for an email from a friend of a colleague who works in west london, hopefully she will read her email tonight as my friend says she's on holiday til today

will be back, hope you're feeling well today.

[staypresent]

I was in a similar place to you until just over three years ago. It didn't feel right/true to blame my husband for how I had changed from the person I used to be either, it didn't seem like the whole story, and it wasn't really.

My husband was abusive too (verbally, emotionally, and generally controlling.) He always had been, but when i drank in the evenings to relieve anxiety I felt at a disadvatage/compromised in the relationship, he picked up on this and the abuse/put downs etc got worse.

I eventually became addicted to the alcohol and I knew it. I knew the only way would be downhill for my kids and myself if this continued. I made a decision to stop drinking and also had CBT. Within three months I could see clearly that his behaviour was unacceptable and my self-esteem improved all the time. I could see that he was actually shocked at how i was changing, he knew his control was slipping. You could argue that he wasn't all to blame, that I was also - I didn't have enough self-worth to know that I deserved better, to know I was allowed to have boundaries. I asked my husband to leave and my children and myself are all better for the whole turnaround (it was a very hard decision to come to though). I hope you can get to have CBT sessions soon and make some changes for your own happiness

[unhappy]

Thanks Lauriefairy for your help.

Staypresent thank you so much for your post -it has really encouraged me. I do know that if I let it the wine would be a big problem for me and it would make my situation so much worse - its really good to hear how you came out of the other side.