What treatments or life changes have worked for you?

My husband is a Vietnam veteran who suffers from PTSD and depression. We've been together for over six years now. One of the first things I noticed was that stress made his depression worse so I try to keep our life as stress free as I possibly can. Problems can overwhelm him and, instead of coming up with solutions, he sinks into a depression and sleep. So, I come up with solutions...the lights at the end of the tunnel...the hope that replaces the hopelessness. My husband is also on a variety of medications which I monitor closely. Meds don't work forever...a specific dose doesn't work forever...so when I see that his meds are no longer giving him the relief he needs, I convince him to talk to his doctor and his meds are adjusted.

I had my first depression in 1998, but at that time I didn't know that it was a depression and I didn't get any kind of treatment. In 2005 I had a very severe depression, I started taking antidepressants and I also talked to therapist for the first time. A combination of antidepressants and a great therapist helped me a lot at that time. Since than I have had other therapists, but they didn't help me the way the first one did. There another thing that really helped me in the past and that was a trip to Poland. When I was very depressed my parents gave me a trip as a present. At first I didn't want to go, I had lost my interest in travelling and other countries, I didn't have energy to pack my suitcase etc, but my ex and my parents planned everything for me, and they insisted that I go on the trip. My ex and I left and when we arrived in Poland the "miracle" happened, my depression started to disappear and I rediscovered my old interest in travelling, new places, art, culture etc.

I have suffered from depression for many years, Ive taken all the prescribed medications and tried a bunch of remidies my mother has told me about. But nothing has really worked. The one thing that has worked for me and I believe it is making my depression dissapear is my friends and family, I have looked to them for help and they do help. I talk to them, hangout with them and all of this helps me alot. It is the only thing I have found that helps me.