Ask the guy who was once horribly depressed, and now is living the ecstatic life

Since I occasionally see threads on depression here asking for advice on same, I thought I’d open the floor for questions. DISCLAIMER: my path may not be yours, and some of the more vociferous board denizens would vehemently disagree with the way I did it (tho as we shall see I didn’t “do” anything, that’s your first hint).

Hugely long story short: I was in the depths of Hell in my early 20’s-hated myself, hated my life, had just lost what I thought was the love of my life, had dropped out of college, and would spend hours cutting myself down into a smoldering little wreck telling myself how worthless I was.

Today (late 40’s) I live every precious moment in a rapturous joy which is no exaggeration. I work in a hugely rewarding job tutoring kids and spend my spare moments in nature appreciation and celebration, when I’m not grooving to my favorite soulful tunes.

Ask away.

So what pulled you out of your depression? What happened during your late 20s/30s?

No real questions I just want to say congratulations… feels wonderful, doesn’t it? I am sort of living in the same position now; my saving grace was getting back with horses for the first time in 25 years, spending time weekly volunteering at a horse rescue. It gives me a reason to get out of bed every day!

Yeah, I’d like a little more detail as well. Especially since I am in my late forties had have not yet achieved this. Let me guess… is part of it throwing away attempts at trying to be someone else and concentrating on what you are? 'Cause that’s what seems to be happening to me.

How long were you depressed?

Was it a sudden thing, precipitated by your break-up, or was it something that had been with you for a while before it became full-blown?

Depression- horrible.

Congrats on where you are.

You must still have days where you’re down yeah? one can’t stay on a high all the time.

What’s your shoe size?

I don’t understand this, can you explain it more.

I hate this “it worked for me, so it will work for you” shit. If that were true, we would all be heterosexual, Christian, Republicans living the American dream. I’m not say that whatever you did, wouldn’t be useful to others, but NOTHING works for everybody, not penicillin, not haggis, not even shamrocks shakes.

I posted this last August, nothing has change:[spoiler]

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I will be the first to admit that I fucked up royally somewhere along the way, I just don’t know where or how to fix it.

I think it basically means you (general you, not you specifically) can’t help yourself because “yourself” sucks.

Or, another way to put it is that it’s difficult to impossible to actually change your life unless you are willing to question some basic assumptions.

My guess is the OP joined some sort of religious cult.

I don’t know–I followed the OP’s program, and am now heterosexual, Christian, and Republican, living the American dream, and I’m more miserable than I was before!!!

My doctor talked to me about therapy or anti-depressants, but I decided that it’s only the constant low-level background hum of depression, anxiety and dread that keeps me alive.

I’m actually about to go out the door (back later with more details), and thanks to everyone else for their replies, but that kind of crap above ain’t going to fly, and the thread will be locked if I see much more of it.

Don’t complain until after you’ve added some information. In the mean time we have to speculate.

Well, you have to admit that the OP sounds like an banner ad.

“Are you depressed? Do you want to get better? Click here and I will tell you how you can be happy-shiny just like ME.”

I’m guessing he read “The Secret.”

He seems kind of angry to me.

Well, John you invited us to “ask away”. I suppose it’s a fair question to ask at the very least, if asked civilly anyway.

Did you “get religion”?

ETA: Your OP did, after all, use the word “rapturous”.

Well yeah-it’s called threadshitting, and is the main reason why I haven’t been very motivated to reveal these events on this board. Anyhoo, here we go; I realize that I may be opening myself up to all sorts of judgements here, but remember this isn’t GD and I’m not interested in debates here, but rather in sharing what worked for me, and that’s all I can do.