The recovery process: hope, patience, and perseverance

Overcoming depression is not a linear or immediate process, but one that requires perseverance, understanding, and compassion towards oneself.

It involves learning to manage recurring negative thoughts without letting them define one's personal identity, and sustaining small advances even when motivation seems absent. In this process, hope is not naivety, but a practical attitude that allows one to keep moving forward despite discomfort.

Improvement is possible: testimonials and gradual progress

One of the first steps in recovering from depression is understanding that, although negative thoughts feel real, they do not describe objective reality.

“I'm worthless,” “nothing will ever change,” or “I'll never get better” are typical phrases from the depressed mind, but they are only thoughts, not truths. Recovery begins when the person can observe these thoughts instead of identifying completely with them.

Change comes gradually. Many people who have experienced deep depression agree that the first signs of improvement were not major transformations, but simple gestures: leaving the house again, cooking a meal, responding to a message.

These small steps are what make a difference over time. Recognizing that negative thinking cannot be completely eliminated, but can be managed, allows you to move forward with more realism. It's not about stopping negative thinking, but about stopping acting as if every negative thought is a command.

How to sustain change over time

Once progress begins, maintaining it requires conscious practice. The mind, designed to detect threats, tends to revert to old patterns of worry, guilt, or hopelessness. That's why therapeutic work includes learning to detect “cognitive fusion”: that moment when you blindly believe what you think.

Techniques such as mindfulness or conscious repetition of thoughts (“I am thinking that I am not enough,” “I realize that I am thinking that...”) help create distance and prevent a thought from becoming absolute truth. This habit should be practiced regularly, even during stable periods, to strengthen resilience and prevent relapse.

Sustaining change also requires structuring healthy routines: adequate rest, physical movement, basic nutrition, sun exposure, social connection. These actions, while simple, have a profound neurochemical and emotional impact and act as anchors against discouragement.

10.3. Learning to live with vulnerability without giving up

One of the most important lessons in recovery is accepting that emotional vulnerability does not disappear completely. Uncomfortable thoughts, difficult days, and insecurities will continue to exist.

But this does not mean regression or failure. Learning to live with a certain amount of discomfort—without fighting it or letting it determine your actions—is a sign of strength, not weakness. The key is not to give in to discomfort. Instead of resisting or denying it, you can practice openness: observe it, name it, and move on.

This ability to sustain discomfort without running away is a core skill for long-term mental well-being. Accepting that feeling bad sometimes is part of the process, and not a sign that “all is lost,” allows for a kinder relationship with oneself and reinforces commitment to recovery.

From victim to guide: transforming experience into strength

Over time, many people discover that the experience of going through depression not only left wounds, but also valuable lessons. Someone who has felt hopeless and managed to pull through can develop a deep understanding of human suffering, a special sensitivity, and a capacity for empathy that they did not have before.

Becoming a “guide” does not mean becoming a therapist or saving others, but rather being able to say, “I've been there, and you can get through it.” This shift in role—from passive victim to active witness of one's own process—is one of the most powerful milestones in recovery. The experience ceases to be a burden and becomes a resource, a source of wisdom that can inspire others and, above all, sustain oneself in future difficulties.