Does Depression Ever Go Away? Understanding Long-Term Outcomes

Dealing with depression can be tough. Symptoms like fatigue, low mood, and losing interest in things you usually enjoy make it hard to believe that things will improve. If you’re wondering “Does depression ever go away?”, the good news is that depression usually does improve with treatment. As the most treatable mental health condition, almost all individuals who seek treatment for depression notice an improvement in symptoms.

In this article, we’ll go over why depression can feel permanent as well as provide you with tips for helping yourself or a loved one manage depression.

Why Depression Can Feel Permanent

Because of the nature of the symptoms of depression, the depression itself can make it feel like your situation is permanent. The negative thoughts that come with depression might lead to beliefs like you won’t ever feel “normal” again and the lack of energy and motivation can make it difficult to do the things you enjoy. You might also be worried about having another depressive episode in the future, and this worry can make you feel more focused on depression. However, these thoughts are often a part of the experience of depression rather than being based on reality.

While seeking treatment for depression is important to feeling better, changes aren’t immediate. Both medication and therapy can take time to work. When you’re already feeling depressed, it can feel like it’s taking longer than it is to feel better. 

Different Types of Depression and Their Duration

A depressive episode is characterized as experiencing depression symptoms for at least two weeks. These symptoms usually interfere with your daily functioning. Symptoms of a depressive episode include:

• Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• A lack of pleasure from previously enjoyed activities
• Changes in appetite and weight loss or gain
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing
• Restlessness or irritability
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Physical symptoms like headaches, muscle aches, and stomach upset
• Thoughts of death and suicide  If you're experiencing these thoughts, it's important to seek help right away. You're not alone, and support is available. If you're thinking about harming yourself, please call 911 or reach out to 988 the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline—they're there for you 24/7.

A few different depressive disorders can cause depressive episodes. These include:

• Major Depressive Disorder: Also known as clinical depression, individuals with major depressive disorder experience at least 5 symptoms of depression for more than two weeks. If left untreated, symptoms can last between 6-12 months. Depression is highly treatable; between 80-90% of people who seek treatment for depression respond well and almost all experience some symptom relief.
• Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): Persistent depressive disorder is a long-term type of depression. However, symptoms are milder than with major depressive disorder.
• Bipolar Depression: Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes intense emotional states, including mania and depression. Symptoms of depression experienced with bipolar disorder are similar to those experienced with major depressive disorder. 
• Seasonal Affective Disorder: Seasonal affective disorder causes depressive symptoms during certain seasons. Most commonly, people with seasonal affective disorder are impacted during the winter and fall months of the year, but individuals can be impacted during the spring and summer seasons as well. Individuals with bipolar disorder are at an increased risk of developing seasonal depression.

Why Depression Might Not Just ‘Go Away’

It’s normal to feel down now and again, especially when life is challenging. However, when these episodes are longer-lasting, recurring, and are impacting your daily life, then it’s more than just feeling down. Depression is a mental health condition that usually requires treatment and isn’t something that can be willed away. While single episodes of depression might be triggered by a certain event and pass with time, recurrent depression typically doesn’t go away on its own.

Biological Factors and Chronic Depression

There are a number of biological factors that are related to depression. Brain chemistry can be a factor, including neurotransmitters and hormones. Specifically, individuals with depression might have low levels of certain neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine. They might also have reduced activity or volume in certain areas of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. You can also be at risk of developing depression due to certain medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, and thyroid disorders.

The Role of Genetics and Family History

Depression also can have a genetic link. While researchers are still working to understand the link between genetics and depression, individuals with a parent or sibling who has major depressive disorder are two to three times as likely as the average person to develop depression themselves.

Environmental Triggers and Life Stressors

While there’s no single cause of depression, certain life stressors can increase your risk of developing depression. Possible triggers include:

• Past trauma or abuse
• Major life transitions, such as job loss or divorce
• Chronic stress, such as financial stress or a high-stress job
• Loss of a loved one
• Relationship difficulties
• Serious illness or injury
• Natural disasters
• Social isolation and lack of social support
• Experiencing discrimination or prejudice

Strategies for Managing Depression Long-Term

Managing depression long-term often includes a combination of treatments, including ongoing therapy and counselling, medication, and lifestyle changes.

Ongoing Therapy and Counseling

Ongoing therapy can help you develop tools that help make living with depression easier, such as challenging negative thought patterns and developing skills to deal with stress. Even if you are not currently experiencing an episode of depression, regular check-ins can help to prevent future episodes.

Medication Management and Adjustments

Some individuals may need to be on medication long term to help manage symptoms of depression. If you are on medication, it’s important to have regular check-ins with your doctor so that you can ensure that you’re on the right dose and monitor for any potential side effects.

Lifestyle Changes to Support Mental Health

Healthy lifestyle habits can also help to support your mental health. These include:

• Exercise and Nutrition: While working out might seem difficult when you have depression, regular exercise can help to boost endorphins that improve your mood. Even a short walk can be helpful. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can also help to reduce symptoms of depression that may be caused by nutritional deficiencies.
• Building a Support Network: Isolation can make feelings of depression worse. This means it’s important to stay in touch with friends and family. Joining a support group can also be helpful in connecting with others who are living with depression.
• Mindfulness and Stress Reduction: Regular mindfulness and stress reduction practices can help to make you more resilient to negative emotions and stressful situations.

How to Support Someone with Chronic Depression

When someone you love is managing chronic depression, it can be difficult to know what to do or say. By learning about and understanding depression, you can help to support your loved one.

Active Listening and Emotional Validation

Active listening and emotional validation can help to create a safe space for your loved one to share how they are feeling. This also helps you to understand what they are going through. Using validating phrases like “That sounds really hard” or “I appreciate you sharing this with me” can be helpful. 

Encouraging Professional Help

It can be difficult for someone with depression to seek professional help. You can help by letting your loved one know that seeking help is not a failure, and that depression is a mental health condition that needs treatment like any other medical condition. You can also offer to help research mental health professionals and offer to attend appointments with them.

Avoiding Harmful Myths and Phrases

Educating yourself about depression can help with understanding how your loved one is feeling. Some myths to be aware of include:

Myth: Depression is just feeling sad. Truth: Depression is a mental health condition with many symptoms, including fatigue, difficulty focusing, and a change in eating and sleeping habits.

Myth: People with depression just can’t handle stress. Truth: While stress can impact everyone’s wellbeing and mental health, depression isn’t the result of a single event and can impact anyone.

Myth: Everyone gets depressed from time to time. Truth: While it’s normal to feel sad at times, depression impacts your daily functioning and isn’t something that can be willed away.

Myth: People with depression just need to think more positively. Truth: Depression isn’t something that can be easily changed by putting on a happy face or going to do something fun. It’s a mental health condition that requires treatment.

Final Thoughts: Hope and Coping

While managing chronic depression can feel isolating and overwhelming, help is available. There are a number of treatment methods available, and most people do feel better after treatment. 

Learn more about how a personalized treatment plan can be built for you.

Mental Health Resources and Hotlines:

• ‍Crisis Textline‍
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline