Can't say I've had depression to the level Nige has. I will say that when I was younger and sometimes it tries to come back a bit, I did get discouraged and depressed to the point where I would attempt to sleep just to try to get out of my own head. Which doesn't work btw.
I think the biggest things I've learned is how hard it can be to take a step back and just collect my thoughts. Not knowing your exact situation fully, the pattern I found for myself is if I begin to get to emotional like anger for example, it seems like certain actions trigger things. If I do those things, I find myself at least for a short while, spiraling downward. However if I can make myself take a step back mentally and not think about it, it is ok. But sometimes that is so very hard to do when you are in that moment.
Not going to preach or anything, but myself as a Christian, I find if I'm going through things, if I will take a mental step back and pray about it for a little while, even just a few minutes, that the Lord helps me put things into perspective and I feel usually feel much better. If you are a Christian, I know that not everyone is, but you may give that a try. You might find that you have more peace.
For me, I find that even though my situation may not change, if I can get my perspective changed and re focused on things that are positive and right, that you are then able to cope and to realize situations we go through in life are not as bad as they seem. I'm not saying you haven't had hard times or hard situations in your life. Not at all. I sympathize with you. I'm only saying that if you are able to change the way you look at things when you start to get depressed, you well probably find that your situation seems manageable again and that you can get through it.
In my situation, one of the hardest parts was that I didn't feel like people understood what I was experiencing. When you feel that way, you begin feeling isolated and you draw inward and start shutting people out. At least for me that is what happened. I've learned over time that people do love me and do care what's happening. I've also had to learn that when thoughts of discouragement or thoughts that trigger depression for me, that I try to mentally step back and say no, I don't understand where all of these thoughts come from, but that I reject those thoughts and they are not me, and will not define me.
If I've written to much I apologize. But realize people do care and you aren't the only one who's experienced where you are. Though many times when you are in deep depression, it feels that way.
