Hey I can't believe no-one has posted anything on this section yet? Surely this is why we all log on to this forum - to get some help by hearing how other people are recovering?
Well - OK - here goes. I've got stress related depression, due to work. Have been off work for 3 months now. I'm going back after Easter, hopefully.
The things I have found that help - CBT is good. It helps you re-frame your negative thoughts into kinder, more positive ones. There are also some great books to read - I can highly recommend 'How to Stop Worrying and Start Living' by Dale Carnegie. Also 'The Power of Positive Thinking' by Norman Vincent Peale. A good book about CBT is 'Overcoming Depression' by Paul Gilbert
I was hoping for a long while that someone else could help me. But, to be honest, we have to do a lot of the work ourselves. Depression is an illness, and it is horrible. But there are so many different forms of it, and everyone experiences it slightly differently, so it is difficult to get a treatment that fits everyone. We have to do certain things though - to help ourselves. It is confusing, frustrating, painful - but there are little things we can do.
We have to be kind to ourselves. Stop beating ourselves up with our thoughts.
Be good to our bodies - take gentle exercise, eat well.
Try to do something for someone else, it takes our mind off ourselves.
It's hard - believe me I know. But take little steps. Thinking about everything is overwhelming, but just try to live one day at a time.
The worries of yesterday, added to those of tomorrow, make even the strongest falter....
Good luck folks - let's fight the monster.