I think most of the time people don't even know they're depressed, or refuse to admit to themselves they are. Personally I'm on the fence. I might be, I may not be. Who knows. Maybe people think they're just being a pansy and using it as an easy-out for the feelings they experience. But, really, if on paper life seems to be going well, or, at the best, content, and you just can't shake the feeling of being down most of the time, reach out. Reach out to friends, a parent, a family member, a teacher, anyone. Break through the selfishness of not admitting that you may be suffering from it. It sure is a real thing. You never know what you will accomplish simply by talking about HOW you feel instead of what you think you SHOULD feel. Maybe you won't get anywhere, but maybe you will learn a new perspective about yourself by just trying to put your thoughts into words.

I think dealing with depression is harder for people that have actually had a good life and a nice upbringing. Depression is sometimes associated with people that have had it hard or had a bad childhood to attribute to these feelings. But when you personally haven't had to actually go through anything "bad", you feel you shouldn't be experiencing these feelings, and sometimes you feel worse for even comparing your feelings and thought process to the many people that have had a harder life than you have, fueling the fire because of the confusion it causes.

Sure, you're upbringing and personal events that have happened in your life may attribute to depression, but that doesn't mean that it is always the cause, or that depression is an absolute affect to going through hard times. Some people go through hard times like a champion, with or without dealing with depression.

Sometimes you just can't figure out why you can't get out of bed even though everything in life is seemingly fine. This alone can cause more problems that is warranted. I mean, everything is fine, right? Why do I feel like everything is awful and pointless?

Sometimes the real enemy is in your head and it's a constant battle between what you want it to be and the thoughts that accompany it, no matter how hard you try to drown them out.

You tell yourself you're overreacting and that everything is really fine, but, you still, no matter how hard you try, just can not shake the feeling that it's not.

Death is not what is feared, it is living that is terrifying.

Sorry to rant, but it felt really good to express this.