Ask HN: How to cope with depression

Take the meds. The meds get you to a level of normalcy. The underlying issues causing depression can then be dealt with. But once you are diagnosed with severe depression its rare for your dr to take you off of the meds. Speaking from personal experience I have been on 20 mg of Lexapro for 10 years. When I am off for 4 months my depression comes roaring back so I stay on it and don't experiment with my brain anymore.

Side effects of anti-depressants exist, but not everyone gets them, and they're mild compared to actually being depressed. Depression is more distracting, debilitating, and hazardous than the treatments for it. If you have depression, starting medication is a positive-expected-value move. If your first medication doesn't work or has unacceptable side effects, then your doctor will gladly change it. Generally, treatment starts with the drugs with the fewest side effects (e.g. Lexapro) and higher doses or or more blunt drugs are used if needed. You're not going to end up on a high dose of Prozac against your will.

Also, many of the harsh and weird side effects of SSRIs (the yawns, the sweats, and the weird-ass dreams in the first week) are temporary and doctors will usually prescribe anti-anxiety medication if those become an acute issue.

You need to do something about this. Medication's a good start, because it will give you the initial reboot that will make you able to exercise and regularize your sleep. After you're well, the next job is to stay well and get into an exercise routine and start eating healthier foods. Right now, though, medication is the best source for that initial "push", and it helps many people. Once you're out of the depression, establish healthy habits to maximize the probability that you stay out of it.

Also, you shouldn't question whether you "deserve to be alive" because of one job. Most people have been fired at least once. Shit happens. If your depression is interfering with your ability to perform at work, then disclose the health issue before you end up on a PIP. It won't prevent you from getting fired but it will increase the likelihood that you get a severance if you are fired.

Good luck! Depression sucks but many of us have been there and gotten out of it.

1. Try the meds. View them as a crutch on your road to recovery, not a cure all. You have to retrain your mind to see the positives in life. The drugs may help, they might not, but at the end of the day you are the one that determines if you are happy. 2. Try mindfulness meditation. TL;DR is go to quiet spot, close your eyes, breath in and out, and focus on just breathing deeply. Longer link at the bottom. Lots of good books out there too. 3. Everyone dies eventually, so there is no need to rush there. Push yourself to enjoy life, even if it if hard.

Good luck

WARNING:

Do not seek any advice from anonymous people on the web about depression, ever, you're seeing a therapist, that's a good start, If you're not satisfied with your current doctor, go see another one.

I went through a somewhat similar phase in which I didn't particularly care if I lived or died (new city, shitty job which I wasn't doing well at, had no friends / gf, poor health, no immediate prospects etc). I think what helped get me out of it was focusing all of my available willpower and effort on one or two areas which were completely in my control and where success was readily attainable through consistent work. For me those were lifting and dieting, and those activities reminded me that I could be successful, reminded me that I had self worth, and boosted my morale. This created a positive feedback loop in which that success emboldened me to address other problematic parts of my life and create further success and happiness.