How long does DEPRESSION last

As Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon – An Anatomy of Depression, says

“when you’re in the throes of depression, it feels like a state that will never go away.”

But this is nothing more than an error in judgment caused by depression, which narrows our horizons and robs us of our future and our hope. Although there is no clear answer to the question “How long does depression last?”, the prognosis is not as bleak as the dark filter of depression makes it seem.

First of all, the premise we start from when we ask the question “How long does depression last?” is wrong. Depression most likely lasts a lifetime if left untreated.

Whereas depression is not a character flaw, a bad mood or a state of mind. It is a medical condition. We cannot expect it to disappear spontaneously. The chances of beating depression on our own are minimal.

Fortunately, there are many treatment options:

• medication;
• Individual psychotherapy;
• group psychotherapy;
• lifestyle changes.

Treatment is the best predictor of the course and duration of depression. So the question we should be asking ourselves is how long it takes for the therapeutic intervention to begin to bear fruit.

According to the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders:

recovery from a depressive episode begins at 3 months from the start of treatment in 2 out of 5 people, and at 1 year for most.

So, according to these statistics, treatment for depression it lasts as long as a cast for a fracture at best, or treatment for tuberculosis at worst. But the course of depression is highly variable. There are no mathematical formulae or algorithms with which we can calculate how long depression lasts for each particular case. Like all mental illnesses, depression manifests itself differently in different people. So these data are for guidance only. They are not a guarantee. Some people will experience periods of remission (two or more months without symptoms) very rarely or not at all, while others will enjoy years with no or very few symptoms.

The term “depression” can also refer to major depressive episodes. But it can also refer to dysthymia, or persistent depressive disorder. In this case we are talking about a chronic condition. As its name indicates, depressive symptoms have been present for at least 2 years and will persist throughout life. However, their intensity tends to be lower than in major depression. With specialist help, they can be kept under control.

There are a number of risk factors that can influence the duration and course of depression.
These are:

• the depressive episode started a long time ago: the longer we delay treatment, the less likely we are to recover quickly, so early intervention is essential for successful treatment.
• the age at which the first symptoms of depression appear: the earlier the onset of depression, the more likely it is to become chronic, with repeated and longer episodes;
• persistence of moderate symptoms during remissions is a strong indicator of depression recurrence;
• other existing conditions, such as; psychosis; personality disorders; anxiety, increase the risk of long and recurrent depressive episodes.

In conclusion, no one can give a definite answer to the question “How long does depression last?”. You should ask yourself differently if you’ve reached this point. Instead, mental health professionals can offer support and hope that depression can be overcome or managed with appropriate treatment.