What is Depression?

Let's start with the basics. A surprising number of people don't know what depression exactly is (when I refer to "depression" I mean it in the clinical sense).

Depression is a medical illness, and most often needs professional treatment from a doctor and/or psychologist. Many people make the mistake of thinking that depression is just something that you can suddenly get rid of--they may say things like "just snap out of it", which most often make a depressed person feel even worse. By educating yourself about depression, you will come to realize that it is a disease that needs treatment, and not a personal weakness or laziness. This is an essential thing to realize, as it drastically changes the way you look at yourself. Instead of thinking that you're a failure and that things will never get better, you will realize that there is help available and that things can and will get better.

Even if you don't personally suffer from depression, it is likely you know someone who does. Educating yourself as much as possible can help you understand partly how they are feeling, and will help you be able to help them better.

For more information about what depression is, visit this page on my website: Mental Health Help - What is Depression?