Dealing with Persistent Depression for 5 Years

ah yeah, i dont know what it's like to not be depressed. ive reached a point of acceptance? ive been off all medication for a long time because i guess my capacity for how much i can handle with my depression has gotten a lot better. in middle school and high school, my depression was awful to deal with. now im im uni and it hasn't gotten better, but its gotten easier to deal with and put on the back burner. its just a constant, so its easier to be like "okay if i can go to just one class today, if i can brush my teeth thats all i gotta do".

I’ve been depressed as long as I can remember. I’m not sure what it feels like to not be depressed.

I have chronic depression, going on 26 years since my original diagnosis. I'm rarely happy but I have challenging circumstances. I'm tired, sleepy all the time but I have fibromyalgia and central sleep apnea plus horrible sleep hygiene. I go a week or two between showers but I live alone and don't work. You should get checked out to see if there's something else going on. I'm not sure but I think most people with depression have had suicidal thoughts and wouldn't describe themselves as happy. I think you have something else going on.

I can say I'm almost never happy. I keep up on everything but I feel like I'm drowning most of the time

I'm so tired all the time, been on meds for 25+. With all the other health problems, I drag myself home from work, lay down, get up to have a little supper SOME times others sleep straight thru.

Hey there, I'm right there with you. I was DX with depression more than 10 yrs ago. I still struggle every day. All we can do is the best we can and take it day by day. I meditate and talk to friends. Hang in there.

You are not alone. It sucks being in it for the long haul. Hopefully you have a good support system and people in your life who try to understand. I know it’s a big help. What helps me (sometimes) is a routine. If I break the routine, oh well. Start again. But it helps knowing which days to shower, when to do self care. Finally you do it for so long and it feels wrong to deviate. If that’s all you can manage to do all day so be it. Give yourself grace, you are doing your best. Take care x

I've been diagnosed and suffering with depression for ten years. I struggle to keep up on hygiene as well. I shower once or twice a week and really have to push myself to do it. I also struggle to brush my teeth every night. I understand the difficulty, it's not easy. I've tried making myself a weekly list and marking things off each day, but that doesnt seem to work. I try to find ways to motivate myself but its difficult.