Will My Depression Ever Go Away? What to Know

Even if finding the best approach for you takes time, depression can go away with effective treatment and support. For example, combining treatments such as medication, psychotherapy, and self-care may help. Some people experience severe, long lasting, or treatment-resistant depression. This can make you feel like depression will never improve.

However, with time and effective treatment, depression can improve and may even go away for some people.

The best treatment approach can vary per person, so it may take trial and error to see improvements. Talk with a doctor for personalized support.

Read on to learn more about improving depression, including treatment approaches and reasons recovery may take longer.

How long it takes for depression to get better varies widely. Your recovery time may depend on:

• the type and cause of depression
• your underlying health and whether you have other mental health conditions
• your access to care
• the type of treatment you receive

Periods of depression could last from several weeks to years or until you receive effective treatment.

Some people may experience long-term depression or symptoms that come and go throughout life. While not everyone’s depression goes away forever, you can still improve, prevent, and manage symptoms with support.

Many treatments for depression take a while to be effective.

For example, it may take a few weeks or months Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source of taking antidepressants to notice improvement. Once your symptoms have improved as much as possible, doctors usually recommend continuing antidepressant medication for at least another 4–9 months.

Read more about how long you may need to take antidepressants.

The American Psychological Association says that depending on the condition, it often takes 12–30 therapy sessions to recover from mental health conditions. It also notes that some people may need treatment for 12–18 months or longer.

Reasons why depression may last longer include:

• Not receiving effective treatment: Finding the best medication, therapy style, or healthcare professional for you can take some trial and error. This may add time to your recovery period.
• Feeling limited by your symptoms: Depression symptoms can create a cycle that makes recovery difficult. For example, hopelessness, fatigue, or withdrawal may make it challenging for you to feel motivated about treatment and try new approaches.
• Antidepressants stop working: In some cases, antidepressants that previously worked for you stop working effectively. Adjusting your dose according to your doctor’s recommendations or trying a different medication may help.
• Not taking antidepressants regularly: Not taking antidepressants as prescribed may reduce Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source their effectiveness. Talk with your doctor if you’re having trouble keeping up with your medication schedule.
• Having other mental health conditions: Researchers Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source say having personality disorders alongside depression may make initial treatment with medication less effective.
• Experiencing treatment-resistant depression: Some people experience treatment-resistant depression, a type of major depressive disorder that doesn’t respond to first-line treatments.

Learn more about the types of depression, including major depressive disorder.

Treatment-resistant depression Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source is a major depressive disorder or clinical depression in which initial depression medications do not work well.

You may have treatment-resistant depression if you haven’t seen enough improvement in your symptoms after trying two antidepressant types.

However, despite its name, many treatment approaches can help resolve treatment-resistant depression. Examples include:

• trying another antidepressant type
• adjusting your medication’s dose
• taking a specific combination of antidepressants together

Other treatment options for depression that may help include:

• psychotherapy or talk therapy
• brain stimulation therapies, such as deep brain stimulation or electroconvulsive therapy
• lithium medication
• second-generation anti-psychotic medications, such as quetiapine (Seroquel) and olanzapine (Zyprexa)

Do not stop taking or adjust your dose of antidepressants unless a doctor has recommended it.

If you feel your current treatment isn’t helping, talk with a doctor.

Read more about lithium and other mood-stabilizing medications.

Often, the best way to manage depression is with a combination of approaches. For example, it may help to combine medication and therapy with lifestyle approaches.

Ways to help manage depression and care for yourself during recovery include:

• finding a doctor or medical team that helps you feel supported
• letting your doctor know if your current treatment plan isn’t helping
• considering medication or psychotherapy
• getting regular physical activity
• eating a balanced diet as recommended by a doctor
• trying meditation or expressive activities
• avoiding alcohol
• avoiding drug misuse

Read more about treatment-resistant depression and its treatment options.

Support for managing depression includes:

• This list of support and resources Trusted Source National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Governmental authority Go to source for depression from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• This directory of support groups from Mental Health America.
• The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which you can use to access confidential support by:
  • calling 988
  • using their online chat

You can also ask your doctor or local health center about support, such as programs that offer low cost care and support groups.

Depression can always improve with effective treatment and support, even if it is severe or long lasting.

Still, finding the most effective treatment for you can take time and a combination of approaches. It is important to stay hopeful as much as possible and work with your medical team to try different solutions.

Talk with your doctor if you have depression and questions about treatment.