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I'm currently reading Feeling Good by David Burns. The author is a clinical psychiatrist and uses cognitive behavioral therapy in a practical self help format. I've only read the first few chapters but I do think it has helped a bit. It has made me realize that my depression makes me see things in a distorted way and the book presents some tools to recognize when you're seeing something in an unrealistic way. Also the last chapter I've read was about intrusive/dysfunctional thoughts and how to respond to them in a rational way to make them lose their grip over you.

It's not the only book I've read because I feel like reading about depression/dysthymia - in and of itself - helps too. Recovery is a process and my best home remedy has been to make sure I do something useful every day (I make a daily to do list). If I can't do much, that's fine and I'll reevaluate but it does allow me to create some structure to my life and work up from there. It just has to be something that I feel like can cultivate happiness, even if it doesn't feel like it at that moment (e.g. cleaning up -> makes me feel like I've accomplished something and I get to live in a tidier house; spending time with a friend -> improving social life; helping my sister with chores -> helped someone else; etc).

Talking about it isn't always easy, especially if I'm feeling in a lousy mood. So even though I sometimes just need to vent my frustrations, I mostly try to talk about my depression from the perspective of recovery (what I've been trying to do, what has worked, what didn't work) and if I need to talk about how difficult today was, then I'll try to balance it out by comparing it to better days. So I don't try to minimize my situation but I do try to frame it in a way that I feel like the people around me can handle. Not always doable, but I try.

I am not from LA but give this book a shot: The Half-Empty Heart: A Supportive Guide to Breaking Free from Chronic Discontent

The Tao of Fully Feeling: Harvesting Forgiveness out of Blameis a book that has helped me immensely. I've read a LOT of self help, and I must admit this book is the most holistic and comprehensible one I've ever read.

And don't be too bummed out if you can't afford professional therapy, this guydoes a pretty good job at explaining why the mental health system is generally terrible. In most cases people just need someone to listen to them and mirror them, and therapists are to a large extent not able to offer that.

I've been thinking of mentioning some books I've found helpful as well.

Also, it is generally considered better to post links without referral codes and such in them. For example: http://www.amazon.com/Half-Empty-Heart-Supportive-Breaking-Discontent/dp/0312307969/ --and delete the rest of the stuff after this.

Hopefully we can all find something that helps us on /r/dysthymia.