uppose you are feeling lonely. You notice you do not have an intimate relationship, and that makes you feel lonely. But is it the absence of the relationship that makes you feel lonely? Or do you feel lonely when you pay extra attention to the fact that you do not have the relationship you desire. When you are engrossed in a really good movie or a compelling book, you completely forget that you are lonely. But if you stick your head up and notice you are all alone, or if you notice a happy couple and it is the opposite of your own situation, then your loneliness quickly returns and you feel depressed. The word ‘depressed’ is a very common, everyday word. Almost all of us feel depressed. The ups and downs of life are common and normal and most people can recover quite quickly in dealing with depression…but some are not as fortunate.
Research shows that, 9.5 percent of the population, or about 20.9 million American adults, suffer from depression. Even Winston Churchill was not an exemption. Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It’s more than just a feeling of being blue or empty for a few days. They persist and interfere...