There are various forms, some are definite illnesses requiring medical treatments, others are gloomy or unhelpful ways of thinking that can be bad for the person, and those friends and family involved with them.

"Major" depression is when a person feels sad all the time for at least 2 weeks, and cannot enjoy life. There is sometimes change in sleep, appetite, concentration. Also thinking and feelings change to gloom or irritation. Sometimes the person may have strange experiences, or think life is not worth living

Drugs and alcohol make depression worse though many teenagers use them to try and help them cheer up.

Also not telling someone often makes things worse.

Help can come from friends, family, work colleagues, and professionals.

Some forms of depression need medication

Some changes in lifestyle or work

Some help to change thoughts and attitudes about life

Often a combination of all three may be helpful

1) You usually need to know whether you are depressed, log-in, or go to one of the many links.

2) Tell, and ask your friends, family and GP to start with. Often people start to feel better just by talking things through.

3) Try and change the things you do, do more activities, epecially things you enjoy, even if you think you don't deserve to enjoy yourself.

4) Examine your thinking, Look at the download or the calipso link for some ways of doing this.