I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the unique, and powerful responses to this thread. Some of the thoughts shared here will continue to have an effect on me, so thank you.

I have suffered depression and know others that have as well. I believe that the way out of depression varies greatly between individuals. Everyone is different; therefore different individuals experience depression differently. For that reason I believe that everyone that suffers from depression must eventually stumble upon across bits and pieces of the puzzle that one must put together to finally "solve" their depression. Of course it can come back from time to time, but the more times one fights it the better they get at fighting it.

For me personally, I find great joy and relaxation from sports and more specifically bodily movement in all of its forms. I also find a great deal of satisfaction in music. Maximizing my exposure to these things has given me a thirst for life and a desire wake up the next morning.

Another thing that has helped me a great deal is to think about all the people that would give an arm and a leg to have some of the things I was given in life. It helps me stay strong and remember that it could be a hell of a lot worse.

And finally, living a healthy lifestyle with a decent diet, sunlight exposure, and a healthy social circle is paramount. Cutting negative influences out of your life, while easier said than done, is one of the the most important steps if not the most important. Follow your intuition on whether or not to keep something or someone else around.

As always don't take things to seriously and keep on the good fight.