Can long term (really long term) depression ever be conquered?

This post is sort of a question that may not have an answer or an encouraging one. Here goes, please bear with me.

It seems to me that there are two groups of people. 'Normal' people who go through life's downs with equanimity or at least have resilience to emerge more or less intact. Maybe they have discrete and infrequent bouts of depression, but these do clear up leaving little residual effect.

Then there is the 'delicate' group for whom depression and/or anxiety become the norm, taking a firmer hold over time. Medication and therapy sometimes help, but don't restore mental health, just keep the full horror at bay.

I'm in the latter group. My default state is one of depression and anxiety, only the strength varying. I believe that there is always a trigger/cause for my depression/anxiety. It seems, according to what i have read, for others in this group this is not always the case and depression may dig its claws in deeper for no apparent reason.

So my questuon is: do people ever escape out of the delicate group, to look back after one, two, or five years to say 'wow, I beat that!' Or is the future inevitably one of grinning and bearing, a ceaseless search for the right medication or therapist, sometimes with some relief or let up, until the next bad bout comes and sweeps away any progress.

I am truly scared witless that I will never be free of depression and as i get older it becomes more and more difficult to carry on.

If i sound wingey please don't judge me, I'm truly at my wits end.

Post Edited (breathing) : 1/1/2017 9:08:50 AM (GMT-7)

You are reaching out, and that is good. I had a problem last night and I didn't reach out to this post for help, even though that's why I am on it, since I'm in an isolated situation, and need help.

So it's good that you reached out.

The below are all my views.

You say: 1. Two groups of people. 'Normal' people who go through life's downs with equanimity

(I think these normal people are well people. I don't think they're better people, I think they're well. A lot them rob people. They're not necessarily good people, they're well people. They don't take medicine.

(A question I have recently asked myself is, "Would I give up some of my good qualities to get rid of some of my bad (manic depression) No. So you can be a mentally ill person who has good traits and is a good person. Or, you can be a well person who is a bad person.)

You say: 2. Then there is the 'delicate' group for whom depression and/or anxiety become the norm. (I think these people are delicate, I think they are sick. I think they inherited their mental illness from a relative.

(My bipolar came from my mother's mother who spent time in a mental institution, which is where I would be if it wasn't for the "new" (last 50 years) drug of Lithium and the "new" (last 50 years) anti-depressants.

(My grandmother's bipolar skipped a generation and landed on me. So your parents may be OK, but a grandparent may have had depression.)

You said: 3. Medication and therapy sometimes help, but don't restore mental health, just keep the full horror at bay.

(As with my blood pressure medicine, I will never be well from high blood pressure. I will be alive, and I'll take that, but I will never be cured. My Lithium and my anti-dep. keep me functioning, but I will not be cured of that. There could be some people who are depressed but do not respond to anti-dep.)

You say: 4. I'm in the latter group. My default state is one of depression and anxiety, only the strength varying.

You say: 5. I believe that there is always a trigger/cause for my depression/anxiety

(My opinion is that this is inherited. I know circumstances can cause mental illness, but I think inheritance causes mental illnesses. I lose a job, I get depressed, others don't. I think it's my inheritance, which the others don't have in their past.)

You say: 6. for others in this group this is not always the case and depression may dig its claws in deeper for no apparent reason.

(I think it's inheritance)

7. So my questuon is: do people ever escape out of the delicate group, to look back after one, two, or five years to say 'wow, I beat that!

(I think if your depressed, if you find the right med, you can get undepressed with the med.)

9. Or is the future inevitably one of grinning and bearing, a ceaseless search for the right medication or therapist, sometimes with some relief or let up, until the next bad bout comes and sweeps away any progress.

(I think some people are depressed and they haven't found the right med. I think we're floating around space on a ball of dirt. I don't think there is any order to life.

(Stop lights and white lines on the roads can make it look like that, but that is a mirage, and gives the appearance of order. There is no order, there are white lines on the road. I think people can improve on a difficult situation and give the appearance of order, but its only what good people do that give some sort of appearance of order.)

You say: 10. I am truly scared witless that I will never be free of depression and as i get older it becomes more and more difficult to carry on.

11. If i sound wingey please don't judge me, I'm truly at my wits end.

(I appreciate your plight. You are very well spoken. I have health issues, also. One of them they say, "Learn to live with it." Oh, gee, thanks.)

12.This post is sort of a question that may not have an answer or an encouraging one. Here goes, please bear with me.

(I think maybe news medicines being developed right now may be an answer for you. I think they say, half the medicines we have now weren't around 25 years ago. Research is truly important.)

Hello everyone
I have trolled various sites off and on for many years.. Just thought I would man off and try to express how I'm feeling. I've been on and off medication for my depression. Paxil was somewhat successful for about 15 yrs and just stopped working. My doctor (actually she's a nurse practitioner) decided it would be in my best interest to take me off Paxil and put me on Lamictal ( a mood stabilizer) I am currently experiencing the worst depression of my life. Think about suicide constantly. My situation is further complicated. I have a serious alcohol problem (alcoholic) I've been drinking periodically for a couple of months - it does temporarily lift the depression. The man I've shared my life with for the past 25yrs is a recovering alcoholic and constantly takes away my money credit card cards etc. Just a little more background he is a hoarder and can't change. I have a problem with AA - I'm an athiest so I have major problems with the program. To me the world is insane people are cruel or indifferent at best I don't know how much longer I can stand it
Thanks for letting me vent
sunnymbh