well if it helps someone this is my experience.
I was diagnosed with depression real young..........it runs in my family.
on a scale of 1 to 10.......mine hoovers at about 1 or 2....but not constant.
mild bouts maybe once every 6 weeks....rarely worse than mild.
when i was drinking??.....who knows.....i used alcohol to solve mental problems..
first year was quite tough.........maybe 5 to 6 at times
and has slowly lessened over the years........im nine years sober.
i dont concider my depression having anything to do with my alcoholism........seperate illness......
which require sometimes seperate solutions.
thats me if it helps.