What saved me was someone who gave a damn enough to not only help me emotionally and financially after a failed suicide attempt, but who just sat and listened without offering advice on how to "fix" myself. Anyone with long term depression knows that you will never have an epiphany one day and realize that you were just naive to some secret that all happy people know. I cope with it day to day through mindfulness meditation when I feel the pain coming on and just try to change the channel of my thoughts and not let it take over. Sometimes it does, some times it doesn't. My mantra is to live this day, don't ruminate on the past that you can't change, or on the unknown future.
My partner bought me a dslr camera for my birthday and that has been a huge creative outlet for me. When I feel bad I just jump in my car and drive and explore country roads or back streets and get lost in the beauty of angles and compositions.
I also get lost in my favorite books, audiobooks, and movies. Getting a free library card was one of the best decisions I ever made. You would never know it from talking to me, but I also suffer from severe social anxiety, so it was a huge effort to make myself sign up for it. My point is that I found out that libraries have audiobooks and are excellent for zoning out. I just have to caution anyone reading that it is ok to be distracted by your favorite book, audiobook, or movie; just don't lose yourself in their fictitious worlds that you will have to finish and face reality again. I say that because I know first hand how much that hurts. Either way, they saved me by giving my mind a distraction. I also use video games, though I am a grown man, it helps to have a distraction. I'm on Xbox Live under the name TightyWhytees if anyone wants to send me a friend request. I'm shy and a bit socially akward, but it would be nice to meet up with others like me who don't make friends real easy online.
I agreed to see a psychiatrist, and agreed to try medicine, but I could not handle the side effects, so I stopped the meds. I feel that my depression and anxiety are a result of this self perceived unbiased hyper awareness of life in general. It's a gift to see things clearly, but also a curse try to process it all while trying to function on a day to day basis. At least that is the only way I can express my thoughts on the subject. I did start taking L-Theanine supplement for the anxiety and it worked a hell of a lot better then Xanax. Though taking it before bed induces trippy vivid dreams. For the depression I took 5HTP supplement and I didn't think it was working until I stopped taking it. It caused my prolactin levels to rise in my blood and resulted in brain MRI because my dr thought it was from a tumor. Levels decreased after I stopped 5HTP, but I now go on it for a small amount of time, then off again. My dr respects my aversion to meds and supports my use of supplements. Seeking medical advice and help was one of the scariest things I have ever done, and it still makes me lose my breath every time I go..haha. But it is worth it, and I made a promise.
No one thing keeps me going, but mostly my will to not let it beat me. People who say that suicide is cowardly have no idea the amount of silent relentless suffering one must go through on a daily basis. The fact that I am alive for one more day makes me the bravest motherf*cker I know. And anyone reading this who chooses life for one more day is my hero and inspiration. Just know that you are not alone.