The really sad part is that once you have experienced depression, especially to a larger degree, it becomes much like riding a bicycle.
You never forget.
Depression is extremely misunderstood, especially by those who have not yet experienced it.
Believe it or not, some people deal with depression their whole lives. Others only temporarily.
There are ways to get proper assistance in minimizing the effects of depression, but just like anything else, there are many attempts that have to be made, and sometimes this process alone can be nearly unbearable.
I work closely with some very depressed individuals. I also work with those who are bipolar. Up one day, down the next.
Fortunately, I have only had to deal with anxiety, which can be a bitch at times, but from what I've witnessed, anxiety is a cake-walk compared to depression.
I don't deal with panic attacks either. Those seem to go hand in hand with anxiety and depression also, but I have been fortunate not to have to deal with them.
Some people do indeed need serious medication. Others can benefit greatly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It all depends on the individual.
Unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all" solution.
Here's the real kicker. For some folks, the symptoms will come on slowly. Those people have better options, but I have seen those who wake up one day, go about their day "business as usual" and then "WHAM" out of nowhere, it hits. Those are the people that are going to be impacted the most. They never forget *that* day.