Depression happens for many reasons. We do need to have sympathy because the depth of depression varies from person to person. Some of it can be genetic and I

Depression happens for many reasons. We do need to have sympathy because the depth of depression varies from person to person. Some of it can be genetic and I think it can also be copied from other people or passed on. That is why if you hang around with happy people you have a tendency to be happier. One of the things I noticed in my successful peers is that they go through a period of depression before great periods of productivity or creativity. The depths of depressions or "pullbacks" vary from person to person but most of them show that trait before periods of greatness. IMO, depression is increasing because pressure is increasing on the average individual in general. From society, to our peers, from the media, from our own competitive nature we are putting more pressure on ourselves to perform or not perform via rebelling. I am not a doctor, but I know when one of my friends or peers say they are depressed, it is taken very seriously. We all go out of our way to support that person. Life does go on. Life does change. Sometimes it is darkest before the dawn. Never give up.