Clinical Depression for 20+ Years?

[JamalChristophr]

Is there anyone here (or a spouse) with treatment resistant depression that finally got better after 20 years of having the illness? I was just curious. We all have our crosses, correct? I was just wanting to know if anyone here had really long-term treatment-resistant depression but finally got better somehow by God’s Grace. I know we should embrace our Crosses out of love for Christ, but… if we have a headache, there’s nothing wrong with taking aspirin for it, right? Should a person just be perfectly consigned to their illness after they’ve tried soooo much already- sort of like the woman in the Bible with the hemorrhage who went to many doctors but was none the better for it?

(And no, I do not believe that Jesus always heals us of our sufferings in this life. That is not always his way. Redemptive suffering is necessary and highly valuable in God’s eyes.)

 

[edwest2]

Yes, that would be me.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Galbin]

My clinical depressions went away completely (10 plus years of very severe depressions) when I went on T3 thyroid hormone. I’ve since found out that low thyroid is a significant cause of depression, and that even people with “normal” thyroid levels can improve with T3. In fact, T3 is used by some psychiatrists for treatment resistant depression. This is despite their lab tests coming back as “normal”. I say “normal” because thyroid patients have learned that normal blood results are different to optimal results.

I’d ask your doctor about that. I’d also ask for a full panel of thyroid tests. This would include FT3, FT4, RT3 and antibodies, and not just a TSH.

ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleid=178261

 

[His_helpmeet]

You are supposed to carry your cross - but at the same time, that does not preclude taking good care of your health and your body. I second the PP’s suggestion - go and get a complete physical, and ask for blood work, specifically a complete blood count, thyroid and sex hormone levels, fasting glucose, and I would suggest liver and kidney function tests and a lipid (cholesterol) panel as well. This way you can rule out a potential organic cause that is treatable.

You might also ask for a referral to a mental health professional. I had generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) for probably ~8-9 years before I was finally treated for it with medication. I’m still on medication but I function much better with it than without it. Depending on your specific case, there are a number of treatments that can work for depression: psychotherapy (there are numerous different approaches/techniques; talk therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy tend to work quite well, among others), medication, and ECT (electroconvulsive/shock therapy; it’s done under anesthetic WITH informed consent and is nowhere near as dramatic as shown on TV). A mental health professional can help you to determine which approach is the best option for you.

 

[EasterJoy]

Besides those who have recovered from depression, I have also known people with digestive problems they had their whole life that got better as soon as they realized they had a food intolerance. Some were relieved of a lifetime health problem when they moved to a new climate, took up a hobby that lead them to lose weight and become fit, were removed by death or distance from a family situation that was more stressful than they realized, or by some chance finally found the underlying cause of a chronic health problem.

Yes, the woman with the twelve-year hemorrhage is a good example from Holy Scriptures. Bear what you have to bear with the help of God, but by all means look to the Lord for release from suffering and bondage of any kind, as well.

 

[Musician]

I had an incapacitating mental breakdown ten years ago this month. It was severe depression which blossomed into full-blown psychosis, over a terrible job situation. I was hospitalized several brief times.
Thanks to my amazing husband’s care, I finally made it out of this nightmare. I am very punctilious about taking the few meds I am on, now at a lower dose. I feel great and am about 70% recovered. I don’t expect more as I am very happy, stable, and content with my life.
Recovery can happen with the patient’s hard work. I slept for about a year…doctor said it was because my brain was trying to rewire itself. Yes, I am quite different now in my personality. I am much quieter and not the life of the party anymore, but who cares? I lost a significant portion of my memory and even now struggle with remembering the simplest things. I can’t even remember much about my children’s childhood. So lots of amnesia. It’s like seeing things as a completely different person. But recovery can definitely happen. I received lots of prayer and anointing for the sick while I was “out”. My husband took me to Mass whenever I could go. I kept a “Jesus candle” on my dresser and rosary beads next to my bed. I know it all helped and that God was by my side.

 

[cmgc]

21 years with depression and finally managing it to the point where it’s not much of an issue anymore. No medication has ever helped. 7 years ago I hit the worst but I’ve been working very hard on it since then with many wonderful milestones along the way, most importantly finding my faith again. I still have to be very aware of my moods and such, but it’s basically 100% managed. I credit God for protecting me and pulling me back up onto my feet time and time again, and priests and counselors and family for their good advice and support. It’s been slow, very hard, day-by-day type work to rebuild, but things are good now. It’s strange to look back at accomplishments and remember how uncertain they were leading up to them, and how difficult they were (like finishing college in the midst of recovery), and then to realize that holy cow, I did that… it’s done. I thought I would never do so many things. I thought having a job just wasn’t something I was meant for, but I’m actually making a living - it’s still a bizarre feeling after several years to think I’m doing work and being paid for it.

I always stuck close to God, and trusted in Him the best I could to take care of me, knowing he would help me whenever I took a step forward into the unknown. When I didn’t know what steps to take, what path to take to reach a goal, or what goals I even needed to aim for, I prayed that he would show me the path or take me there somehow (he did always). When I sinned but couldn’t get out of bed or leave home, I confessed my sins privately and simply asked that when I did finally get to confession, he could “officially” forgive me so that I could forget about them and leave the burden behind (it was the best I could do). I promised Him I would never give up and I never did, and he has always been there for me and led me time after time to the people, places, and experiences it seems I needed.

God is so gentle, so merciful, so loving. Through this he has taught me to trust him absolutely and completely. Never stop trying, and cling to the Lord at every step.