A Depression Self-Rescue Case More Classic Than Any Medical Textbook

This is a reply I saw on Zhihu, posted by a patient’s family member under the topic “Is it true that almost no one truly recovers from depression?” The reply was written by a man living in Beijing, dated April 15, 2026. The link to his original post is: “Is It True That Almost No One Truly Recovers from Depression?” (https://www.zhihu.com/question/284897349/answer/2027773070220309708). Many people replied under that topic; the author I am referring to used the screen name “Ou Lei Lei Ou La La.”

This man’s wife suffers from major depressive disorder, severe anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder. They began dating during university. During courtship, the man noticed his girlfriend had emotional problems. Their relationship was sweet at first, but later she became increasingly irritable, while her dependence on and control over him grew stronger, leaving him physically and mentally drained, nearly depleted emotionally and physically.

But because his feelings for her were deep, and when he proposed breaking up she begged him to stay and confessed her illness, hoping he would help her. This man took responsibility; rather than abandoning her, he began to study psychology, psychiatry, and TCM on his own to learn about depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, and took her to a psychiatric clinic.

With the help of psychiatrists and counselors, he began to delve into his girlfriend’s inner world, conducting repeated dialogues with her immature inner self. Through careful observation, he found that during episodes she was not entirely irrational; the first ten-plus minutes of each episode were a critical window in which communication was possible—though, not always successfully; in his words, nine out of ten attempts failed.

But this man was both loving and patient, and gave a great deal for his girlfriend. Through repeated dialogues, he led her step by step out of the abyss of depression and anxiety. They eventually had a child together; now the girlfriend has become the mother of his child, and their life has at last grown happier.

Bipolar disorder is often accompanied by severe insomnia. I previously wrote an article titled “He Used Chinese Herbs as a Pillow and Cured His Wife’s Stubborn Insomnia,” and the herbal pillow formula in that article is the one he shared on Zhihu.

The herbal pillow formula is as follows: Yejiaoteng (Polygoni Multiflori Caulis) 350 g (coarse granules), Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (Suanzaoren) 250 g (coarse granules), Albiziae Flos (Hehuanhua) 150 g (coarse granules), Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi) 120 g (coarse granules), Cassiae Semen (Juingmingzi) 80 g, Prunellae Spica (Xiakucao) 30 g (cut into small sections), lavender 30 g, Santali Albi Lignum (Tanxiangmu) 10 g (coarse granules).

During the May Day holiday this year, I followed the formula he shared and made an herbal pillow, which my wife used; the effect was truly immediate. My wife’s sleep quality had been poor for the past two years; after using this pillow, she fell asleep much faster and slept more soundly once asleep. However, the pillow seems to have some side effects, such as a dry mouth and throat after use. I am currently trying to improve the formula; if I work out a better-tolerated, more effective version, I will write about it and share it.

After verifying the efficacy of the herbal pillow formula he shared, I became fully convinced of the authenticity of the article he wrote. I originally wanted to repost his article in full, but that would raise copyright issues. So at the beginning of this article I provide the link to his reply; readers interested in this condition can click the link and read his firsthand account directly.

Objectively, this is one of the few high-quality articles I have seen on recovery from depression. In my view, it is far more valuable than the vast majority of medical literature built on jargon and statistics. If patients or families dealing with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder read this author’s article carefully, I believe they will gain a great deal.