>>when I would tell anyone they would say "gosh you seem happy though" or "can't you just snap out of it?". When you have knowledge about what depression is...it is easier to understand.

I had a lot of understanding about depression and bipolar because I did a lot of research on it when I discovered I had several friends suffering from bipolar disorder. Knowing how misunderstood it was, I wanted to know as much as I could so that I could offer some understanding and support when they needed it.

Even so I was completely unprepared for the blow I've taken being that I now suffer from severe clinical depression. I am completely unable to work or function, and I have been home from work for about 3 months now with little improvement.

Having someone close to you who not only understands but has been there must be so beneficial to helping you get through. For those who don't have someone close who "knows", places like this one in addition to group therapy and local support groups fill a real need.

For people who have someone close to them who just doesn't "get it", i.e. they want to help but think that encouraging you to "snap out of it" is helping, I wrote something recently to try to make clear the difference between just feeling sad and suffering from clinical depression. I have been trying to revise it recently but the most recent finished version is available at http://www.idexter.com