three years without treatment

[pixcle8989]

is there a way to grow out of depression without
taking any medication??
how does depression actually occur
and why does it bring so much physical change to
my body??
i'm only 17 and i want to be motivated to do better in life,
but i just can't find a way to get out of it.
is it possible to retreat from depression 100%?

[pixcle8989]

thank you for your post
i definitely know that changes in my life triggered my depression.
i've been thinking about for years now, wondering how i got here
and i really believe that my parents' midlife crisis caused my change.
they were emotionally relying on me when i needed them the most...

the past two years have been extremely tough for me.
it got me to the point where i began to feel suicidal.
my suicidal feelings are going away and i'm feeling the neccessity to challenge myself. i have never taken a medication but i have gotten  better and i want to keep getting better, but like st. louis nurse said, i find getting 100% really difficult.

[St. Louis Nurse]

Depression is often seen in familes.. chemical imbalances and learned behaviors often contribute to the symptoms.  The teenage year are the hardest to navigate when you have depression beating you up... I see that you have a head start already. You have taken action to learn about the problem and have decidec you will not let it take over your life. But, often just having the WILL to overcome the state will not make it go away. You should be evaluated by a Psychiatrist who specializes in Adolescent Psychiatry. There is no shame in seeing a doctor. Depression is not different than seeing a doctor for Diabetes... it is chemical and can be controled by both medication and behavior modification.  Some people can work things out with just changing a few things without meds but others need to take medication. My daughter refused to take her meds because she did not want to be different,,, in her mind if she was not on meds.. then she was not " different"... she suffered needlessly as did those of us who love her. Please seek out good medical care... even if it is your local mental health clinic. Understanding professionals are there to help you succeed.  We only fail when we are in denial and refuse to believe that maybe there is a need for help...
Everyone has something that needs fixing...
I spent many many years suffering needlessly... do you do the same. Medication does make a difference.. a BIG difference.. sometimes it takes a few tries at different medications to find the one that works best for you.  Each round of medication takes around 3 weeks to a month to be at its theraputic levels.. so it is sometimes frustrating to find what really will work for you.. Please do not give up.. it IS YOUR LIFE after all.

[IrishAmy]

In some people it is, in some it isn't. That's why there is medication. If you do have a chemical imbalnce in your brain you should take meds. You should try without first, go to talk therapy (a counseler) and see if it helps first, and it does take time. Dont do like i did, my therapist told me to go on meds after only seeing and talking to me 3 times, and i was not suicidal or anything, just very sad and unhappy. It takes time, but just keep in mind that you have a chance to get better and you have a lottt of life left to live! Please keep your head up. You are not the only one who feels this way.

Depression can occur from many things.
-a chemical imbalance
-a change in your life
-a rough childhood
-how your parents raised you
-low self esteem (how you feel about yourself)
-negative thinking etc. etc.

It  takes over your thinking and controls your brain in some way.
Try to do things that you enjoy and talk to someone about it, do not keep it bottled inside!