Typically, people feel significantly improved, and often back to their usual self, within a few months. In people with more severe forms of depression, with recurring episodes, antidepressants can have a role in preventing new periods of depression. Most people who see their GP for depression are prescribed antidepressant medication. Medication can lift your mood and help with the symptoms of depression but does not tackle underlying problems. Some talking treatments work directly on helping you to overcome the symptoms of depression as well.
People can become depressed for many reasons.
You may have experienced a high level of stress over a long period. You may feel overwhelmed by the problems of life, such as bereavement. Some people believe things about themselves or about life which actually make them more vulnerable to depression. There are many different kinds of talking treatments or therapies and you will need to decide which may be best for you, based on your own experience. These sorts of therapies tend to be fairly short term, from three or four sessions up to around twenty sessions.