The writer of this article has suffered with depression for many years.
It is now mostly under control but it has taken a number of years to get it under control, and it still rears its ugly head from time to time.
Over the years I have tried many ways of overcoming my depression, some of which have worked and some of which haven't.
Everyone is different and so something that works for one person may not be as successful for another, but overcoming one's depression, or at least getting to a point where one can control it, often consists of a number of different options.
The bottom line is that you have to be open-minded, and be prepared to try anything.
If taken seriously, it can become a sort of quest.
In my case, I didn't realise I had depression; I just thought that everybody had days when life seems pointless! Of course I understood that I could be very negative and feel entirely joyless at times, but I just thought this was normal.
However, the first step in tackling my depression was recognising that I had a problem.
Then it was a question of seeking help, so I went to see my doctor.
In this modern age, many of us expect any sort of illness to be treated with some sort of medication, and I was no different in this regard and therefore grateful when my doctor gave me some pills.
There is no doubt that this medicinal option worked well for me.
However, it was not the complete answer and it is difficult to explain, but I felt as though the medication did indeed give me a lift, and yet somehow I can still feel my depression in my inner core.
This leads me to the next option which is what is often referred to as cognitive therapy.
The problem here is that many people, me included at the time, felt these esoteric treatments to be nothing more than mumbo-jumbo.
This is why it is so important that one keeps an open mind and a determination to leave no stone unturned in one's quest to overcome one's depression.
I soon discovered that cognitive therapy works very well in treating depression.
Basically, cognitive therapy works under the assumption that one's thoughts and feelings are directly related.
In a sense it makes you take control of your thoughts, recognising your negative thinking that so often leads to depression, and then taking those negative thoughts and rethinking them in a more positive way.
Cognitive therapy is also proven to be more effective at preventing relapse into depression than medication.
I now find that when I feel a "dark mood" coming on, I take a close look at my thoughts.
I then mentally take those thoughts prisoner and replace them with positive thoughts; it is almost as if I am choosing not to be depressed.
I understand that anybody suffering from depression reading this may feel that it is not something they can do; their depression is just too overwhelming.
However, it is true that this is something that is hard to achieve at first, but like many things in life it is a question of practice and desire.