I want to ask, or to see first if anyone here has ever had full blown clinical depression, and if so, did you manage to beat it/get on top of it?

I am currently clinically depressed, teetering on the edge and cannot see how I can get better. I'd really like to hear about other peoples experiences, what channels they went through to get help, what help they got, how well it worked and if they managed to beat it, or at least keep it under control so they can have a normal life.

I hope that hearing other peoples experiences might offer me some comfort and strength.