brianwelsch wrote: It is entirely weak, man! Someone who's depressed is too weak to turn around and face their problems, and lets the situation they are in take control of them. That's how they get feeling helpless. I've been plenty depressed, and it's always been ME telling myself to get off my ass to change my situation, not someone coddling me telling how damn brave I am. What you have experienced is not depression. A symptom of clinical depression the re-uptake of seratonin, noradreniline and other chemicals by the neurotransmitters in the brain. It can be treated using selective seratonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI's, or SNRI's for noradreninline too) which are 3rd generation antidepressants and very effective. It's not just valium these days. The hardest part in treating depression is getting teh depressed person to seek help. Yelling at them or telling them how messed up they are and to snap out of it doesn't help, believe me I've tried that approach!