My depression started in my teens, probably around 16 or 17. My parents also thought I was just another angry teenager. I was finally diagnosed with major depressive disorder at 22 and prozac saved my life. My 2nd episode started about 14 months ago when I was 30 and I started feeling okay about 3 months ago, so it lasted about a year. This time was a bit easier because I recognized a lot of the signs of depression myself and was able to go to the doctor proactively and ask for medication and find a therapist to talk to. But "easy" is relative.