> I think the problem is the unrecognized difference between a person who
> is depressed and a person with depression.  A person with depression
> will battle it forever, and may lose.  A person who is depressed may be
> able to get off of that antidepressant in a few months or years.

Yes. We use the same word for two very different problems that outwardly
appear the same. This is why I tend to use "chronic depression" or
"genetic depression".

> I have this theory that for a person with mild, non-chronic depression,
> the chemical imbalance encourages negative thoughts, which encourage
> the imbalance, etc.  Drugs can break that cycle and get you back to
> where you ought to be.  Don't know if it's the case, but twice in my life

This sounds right. Antidepressants may help you sleep better, which helps
you feel less depressed which helps you to sleep better...

> I've been on antidepressants for a few months, and in both cases, I was
> able to wean off of them.  I'm a bad experiment, though, because in
> both instances, I simultaneously underwent huge lifestyle changes
> (high school to college and unhappily married to happily divorced).
> 
> Mike H.

Unfortunately *any* lifestyle changes are stressors (they cause stress).
Even good things can cause problems because things have changed.
-- 
D. Jay Newman           ! Author of: _Linux Robotics: Building Smarter Robots_
                        !
jay@sprucegrove.com     ! "Those who would give up essential liberty to
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http://enerd.ws/robots  ! liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin
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