i also struggle with same ilness. also serious attempts at suicide.hang in there.i am medication resistant but vigorous exercise every day has produced results that i can feel immediately after excercise idont feel nearly as down.also have you tried eliminating all refined sugars from your diet.i read that it helped almost everyone with depression and even improves mood in non depressed people.that and exercised(running)helps me.alsoget a pet .it will look up to you andgive you something to take care of.i hope that this was helpful

Dear kali_demidarkness,

My name is Becky and I am 21 in January. I have had Dysthymia since I was 11 too. However, I wasn't diagnosed until after I turned 18. They* (the medical staff) said that was because they don't like to diagnose minors with mental disorders (incase it's just hormones)...Biggest load of horse dung I had ever heard of in my life because if they had of just bitten the bullet when I attempted suicide and looked into my problem they could have started treating me a lot better and my teen years perhaps wouldn't have been such a struggle to get through.

Anyway, there isn't any one miracle cure that helps everyone with dysthymia or makes it never rear its ugly head again otherwise there would be no such thing. However, I can tell you about the things that have helped me along side my meds.

Just like Ricart said, exercise is a great thing to use, even boxing is great. It gets your heart pumping and releases endorphins and it's a great way to get rid of any anger or other "crappy" feelings inside. I find it to be a great release. Another good thing Ricart mentioned was getting a pet.

If you have another being outside of yourself to keep your attention you don't think so much about yourself or your problems and focus on negative things. If you like animals then that's a great suggestion, choose something low maintenance though and something that will bring happiness and pleasure to your life. I have two cats, Heidi & Bree. Dogs are great too because you can walk them and play fetch and stuff!!!

Also, I know it sounds corny and so "over-used" but if you can change the way you think ie. from "glass half empty to glass half full", that is sooooo unbelievably helpfull. If you wake up in the morning and say that you are going to have a terrible day, you will. Instead when you wake up think aboout how great the day ahead is going to be. If something goes wrong, find the bright side or the funny side. Humour is a wonderful thing. I know that where other people would stub their toe and swear about it for a few seconds then put a bandaid in it and keep going, my whole world would melt down and it was the very end of everything as I knew it. (not to mention for those around me aswell.) Now instaed of rolling oveer and admitting defeat when something doesn't go my way, i have adopted the attitude where I will laugh about it or ofcourse- "Payback is a B****" and I make a little promise to myself that I will fix the situation and win!

Music is therapeutic too. If your into music or writing, they are great ways to relax. Writing you can physically get your feeling out of your self and discard them. It makes me feel great.

You just have to keep working on it, but look at it this way...At least you'll never get bored! (Just me finding the bright side)

You will be fine and do hang in there. What is one truly amazing thing that has happened in your life since you last thought about committing suicide? I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl three months ago and a year ago married my soulmate. I think to myself everyday, that I am so lucky to still be here among the living. If I had of taken my life one of those times I wanted to or succeeded the time I tried to I would have missed out on some truly amazing things in my life.

One day, if you hang in there long enough, you will find your "calling" too. I am here to be the best Mum I can be to my little girl. I now feel I have a purpose and I don't want to look back.

Power on, keep your chin up and always remember to hang in there for just one more day because tomorrow could be the day your life turns around for the better.

Peace out.

Becky