How it feels to come out of depression

Coming out of a depressed episode feels amazing and exhilarating. Think about when you have a bad cold or even strep throat. You felt lousy for such a long time and all of a sudden when your infection clears it’s like you’re a totally different human being. You got used to feeling sick and that became the new “normal.” It was exhausting and possibly debilitating but you adjusted and took care of yourself and your symptoms.

This is what chronic depression feels like. You are not well but you still have to go on living anyway. Sometimes people get to the point where they are so unwell that they do not want to live anymore and become suicidal. That is a very scary dark place to be. Depression is a serious health issue and it can literally kill people. It’s not just a mental health issue but a medical condition that needs to be treated. This is what depression feels like. You are not well but you still have to go on living anyway. Sometimes people get to the point where they are so unwell that they do not want to live anymore and become suicidal. That is a very scary dark place to be. Depression literally can kill people and it is a serious health issue. Not just a mental health issue but a medical condition that needs to be treated. People that do not understand what depression is or how severe it can get often underplay the effect it can have on people’s lives. I’ve heard people call someone who is depressed “unmotivated” or “lazy.” They tell the same person to “get over it.“ Depression is something that you can’t miraculously get over and forget about. It is a lingering persistent feeling that can drag you down. A good friend of mine said that depression feels like you’re walking around with weights on your body; this is an accurate description of what it feels like to be depressed.

If you feel like you’re walking around with weights on your body when those weights are lifted you feel incredible, invisible even. That’s what it’s like when you’re coming out of a depressed episode. The feeling is invigorating and your body and mind feel unbelievably well. Having that emotional weight lifted from you is a glorious feeling.

The tricky thing is that this feeling may be temporary. The relief you feel after being depressed isn’t “forever.” Especially if you have chronic depression, you can expect that another depressive episode will return. This temporary relief can feel deceiving to people who suffer from depression. They might believe that they are free from it. It might even result in a person getting off of medication when they don’t need to do that. If someone who has chronic depression stops taking medication for depression, it’s highly likely that they will have another depressive episode.

So, enjoy the relief you’re feeling when you come out of the depressive episode but remember if you have chronic depression it is likely you will get depressed again so do not be deceived by bouncing back.