• Topic
• Mental health >> Depression >> Getting better >> Getting better

Getting better

• Clip
• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 20 >> While she was unable to give consent to ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) in hospital, her recovery from depression was dramatic.

Her recovery initially came about after hospitalisation including Electroconvulsive Therapy. With supportive long-term therapy and medication (Prozac and lithium) she has been in recovery ever since 1989.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 55-64 >> Interview 12 >> Having depression and recovering has made her more empathic with people, more understanding, and has helped her to connect with her son.

Helpful approaches include support from patients in hospital, counselling and medication (Lofepramine). She understands depression as a passing phase and feels she is well past the worst of it.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 55-64 >> Interview 21 >> When she comes out of depression, she socialises again and is able to pick up her interests, including horses.

Effective treatments include lithium (400mg/day), day care centre activities (e.g. creative activities), distracting herself from depression, counselling, diet changes and Internet research.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 08 >> Feels she has been in recovery from a long period of depression, and now feels less isolated and more connected to the world. (Played by an actor)

With the ongoing care of her GP and ongoing counselling with a skilled practitioner, she has been in recovery since early 2003. Not currently on medication.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 07 >> Feels under pressure to get better because he feels a burden on his partner and friends, yet feels his partner was very supportive.

Used a raft of strategies to recover including time off work, attending a support group, counselling, physical exercise, interaction with nature and pets, and spiritual healing.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 30 >> She had felt 'stupid' and 'weak' and that her life was over, but her recent recovery has begun to challenge such negative ideas. (Played by an actor)

Has supportive health professionals. She reacted badly to lithium, and is now doing much better on her current medication (currently Quetiapine 200mg/day, Amitriptyline 50mg, Carbamazepine 200mg, Atenolol 25 mg, Raberazole 20mg).

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 65+ >> Interview 13 >> Feels better at the age of 69 than he has ever felt before, and recalls life was grey from childhood, yet he was actively interested in being healthy

Has only recent seen himself as getting better, being helped by therapy (eg. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt), a clairvoyant therapist/doctor, the learning of meditation techniques, and medication (Effexor 75mg, Lithium (400mg/day).

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 22 >> Through therapy has discovered why she is unhappy, including feeling at fault for things that go wrong around her, and so can tackle her depression be

Is now managed by a skilled team in the NHS, which includes long-term therapy. Therapy is addressing her distorted thinking patterns and difficult past. She now understands she can move beyond depression.