This book is for the 'Average Joe' in this country who likes information given in an understandable way. You want it kept simple and you don't need to read about all the technical stuff behind the subject. Depression happens to the average Joe all the time and most of us who have it don't get treated for it. That's a shame because depression is one of the most treatable diseases. I hope that if you understand it and know that it isn't something to hide, cover up, or ignore, your can have the power to beat it.

At the very least, 30% of the American population suffer from a depression. The economic cost is out of sight but the cost in suffering for those who are depressed can never really be counted. Depression can not only destroy persons suffering with it, but everyone around them who cares about them. A serious major depression can ruin a family if left untreated. This is really bad news! The good news is that there is quick treatment and relief available for depression sufferers. However, the majority of people who get depressed do not get treated. We have now learned that depression is mostly due to a chemical imbalance or mix-up in the brain. These mix-ups can be treated with medications. The medications available now can help you save your life or that of someone you love. Depression is treatable, just like high blood pressure, diabetes, and an ulcer. It is simply a matter of reaching out for help, getting the right medication, and following directions. Think of this as like having a car that goes on the blink. You wouldn't ignore trouble signs like an engine light flashing and think you could just keep on driving. You would investigate what was going on, get someone with training to check out your car, and fix whatever went wrong. Same thing applies if you develop a temperature over 102, are dripping with sweat, and become weaker and weaker. You know something has to be done, and done quickly. It is exactly the same when you experience depression. Something is terribly wrong and you must act. I used to tell my new clients to think of themselves coming in to see me for a tune up, not a major overhaul. You won't need the big overhaul if you take action quickly.

How do you know if you have depression? There are some things that really stand out which can help you decide if a depression is going on. It involves your mood, your thoughts, your appetite, your sleep, and your feelings of self esteem. It is not just the blahs or the blues. Everybody has a few days or more when they feel down and sad. This is different. It's not like the normal experience of sadness you have when things go wrong or when you are disappointed and hurt. This is an emotional pit you've fallen into which affects your family, your job, and your whole life. It's a horrible feeling of hopelessness, of failure, of knowing that there is no way to make things better. You actually do 'drag' yourself along, going through the motions at home and work, thinking that you would rather hide in a cave and avoid everyone. If you are depressed you cannot just 'get it together', put a smiley face on, square your shoulders, and get a stiff upper lip. No matter how hard you try to lift yourself up, you can't. And it tends to get worse, not better. If you don't get treatment, this can last for months or even years. Why put yourself through something this awful when the right medication can get you back on track, able to feel better quickly?

There are some facts that will help you agree that it is good to know about depression, understand the symptoms, and get the treatment which will help. Depression is not something that you have made up in your head. It's feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for months at a time.

Depression can affect people at any age, of any race, any ethnic, or any economic group. It doesn't just happen to soft people and is truly an equal opportunity illness. It is not a form of weakness but is a serious health problem, like any other illness. It is not something which should be hidden or anything to be embarrassed about. The names of famous people who have suffered from depression like David Letterman, Mike Wallace, Terry Bradshaw, Wynona Ryder, Delta Burke, Tipper Gore, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and so many more tell us that celebrities who seem to have all the breaks have suffered with depression. Depression is a thief. It comes into your life, steals your energy and self esteem, and whispers to you that you are worthless. It shoves you down deeper into the bottom of the pit where no angels want to go. It can drive you to actually think about suicide, getting it over with, and ending the agony which has made your life pure hell.

This book is intended to help you understand depression by giving you information that you will be able to understand. You will not have to have a Ph.D. to get through these chapters and by the time you have finished, you will know a lot. After reading this paragraph you won't have to think about 'genetic implications' or such things as 'human leukocyte antigen'. You may even surprise yourself with how much you have learned about depression and how to deal with it. I hope you will feel comfortable reading and rereading chapters that seem to have real meaning for you. You are the reason this book has been written.