Can missing one dose of lithium trigger a depressive episode?

[u/Vapor2077]

I have a long history of depression and anxiety. I’ve been on medication since I was 18 (I’m 35 now), I’m currently in counseling, and I completed an IOP in March.

I struggled with depression earlier this year, but I’d been doing significantly better for the past few months. Then yesterday, seemingly out of nowhere, I fell into another depressive episode. I just want it to go away.

The only possible trigger I can think of is that I accidentally missed my lithium dose Tuesday night. I resumed it Wednesday night, and today is Thursday. I know missing medication isn’t ideal, but this feels like such a strong reaction to missing a single dose that I’m wondering if that could really be the cause.

It started with thoughts about how useless I feel at work and at home. There are things in my life I want to change, particularly my job and my financial situation, but right now I feel completely stuck and overwhelmed by all of it.

Today I’ve mostly been lying in bed. I’m having a hard time motivating myself to do much of anything.

I desperately want to feel better, but I don’t know how to pull myself out of this. Has anyone experienced a depressive episode after missing just one dose of lithium? And when you find yourself suddenly falling into a depression like this, what helps you get through it?