I think both medical research and just good ol’ intuition will tell you that a recovery from major/unipolar depression may (MAY) be possible for some — it won’t be for others, sadly.
But full recovery (“cure”) from bipolar disorder is well-nigh impossible. It must be accepted as a lifelong condition to be managed, like diabetes, and for that matter today like HIV.

We like to say that depression comes in episodes. So you recover from one, but why would you think you’ll never have another. That’s like saying you’ll never get another strep throat.

So sorry. Yes, perhaps the cancer analogy is an appropriate one – we are waiting for the other shoe to drop – I try to convince myself that it won’t this time – (I just had such a great period) – but there it is again…You are very courageous to admit that to your readers, but by doing so, I think ironically you are doing them all a great favor. We have to acknowledge that these “relapses” exist and that even someone who is functioning at such a high level can just go flat…Otherwise we think that it’s just us – and that we are failing somehow instead of coping. I haven’t been able to confront that in that little blog I started on med3q – maybe this will inspire me.
all best to you….

have had one episode since 1993 and till today
most md thing i don’t try hard enough after 25 different meds and combinations thereof. none have wondered if other tests might help
on one seems to be curious about why this has happened to such a vital person. real drag getting through each day.

T.M., please crawl back under your rock …

I think this is a very interesting topic. Whenever I go see Shrinky and tell her I’m rolling back down my horrible hill, she says, “No you’re not, you’re just experiencing life. And here we learn how to deal with it together. No big deal.” Huh? But she’s right, for me at least. She’s training me how to stop punishing myself for my emotional state and thoughts.
There are days when I become hysterically sad, and I start to worry that I’m going over the deep end and will never come back. I’ve been in and out of serious depression modes for years and had decided that was “just the way I am.” But now, I’m learning how to look at it differently–it’s hard to explain, but it goes something like this: Say I’m having a horrible day and my thoughts are spinning out of control (like MONDAY, for example…hee hee). When the evil thoughts start coming in about what a failure I am for not “healing” properly, I remind myself that fighting against depression and the negative feelings I have is a process. Some days I’m up; some I’m down. And I CAN’T beat myself up for the down days. Now, I try to accept them (although this is super hard). When I’m crying, I call a loved one (usually my parents) and say, “I’m crying. I’m sad. I’m really really sad. I hate everything.” And then I bawl my eyes out. I used to fight it, and that was what made it worse. I would tell myself to NOT cry and to NOT feel it. I would try to force myself to cheer up. Then I would beat myself up for not being strong enough to cheer myself up. Now I just cry and cry, and afterwards I feel better. Then I say to myself, “Well done. You just bawled it all out, and tomorrow it won’t seem so bad.” Sorry–gigantic response.
But I also felt this way at Blogher. Instead of saying, “I have anxiety, so I can’t go to that,” I told myself, “Yes, you’re afraid of crowds. When you get there, if you freak out, you’ll just go outside.” Amazingly, it worked. Anticipation of the event is always worse than the event for me. OK, all done now.

My 51st birthday has just come to a close and I read, with interest, Beyond Blue Blog for the first time tonight. My active struggle with depression dates back to my teens (perhaps before?), but knocked me over like a bowling pin during the summer of my 29th year.
With two hospitalizations and three additional relapses over the past 22 years, I have learned quite a bit about myself, family & friends, strangers and my God. Whether one experiences cancer, MS, traumatic brain injury, abusive, inappropriate or non-existent parenting: no one leaves this life unscathed; but there is a reason and greater purpose.
Pain, whether mental or physical, can be used as a learning tool to grow spiritually, or not. That is the choice we are given once the pain flares. Pain, like a hammer, can be used constructively or destructively. Again, a choice.
Five years and two relapses into my Masters from the School of Hard Knocks, my wellness was tested by the Professor at a grocery store. While attempting to choose between butter and ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’ test-anxiety kicked in and, near tears, I spent the next half hour trying to look casual while fretting over which choice was the ‘right’ one.
The true choice I was faced with that day was whether or not to share that experience with my shopping partner, thereby exposing my fear and pride to the light of day. We would have had a good laugh and conversation about modern day marketing. Instead I chose to hide out in other aisles (and in my own mind) and was in a locked ward two weeks and many sleepless nights later.
There is always a choice but, it has nothing to do with butter.

Along with many posters here, I am also plagued by anxiety and depression. Currently in mid 50′s and only recently diagnosed but thank God, I have discovered the reason for my unusually overreaction to life situations and accompanying symptomatology, (unreasonable guilt, etc.)
Your comment, Therese, adequately sums up what we can do to turn an otherwise negative situation into rather a positive:
“Pain, whether mental or physical, can be used as a learning tool to grow spiritually, or not. That is the choice we are given once the pain flares. Pain, like a hammer, can be used constructively or destructively. Again, a choice.” …Inspiring words, and may God bless you.