Have you ever been depressed? I mean, really depressed? Sometimes you may feel like you have no idea what is going on. Why me? What is happening? How do I climb out of this hole that I am in? Do you see the hole, or does everyone around you see it and you don't?

Well, I know exactly how you feel! I was really depressed at one point in my life. There wasn't anything major like a death in the family or someone close to me being really ill, but there was a girl that came in and out of my life. I didn't know what I really wanted to do with my life and I had unresolved issues with my father. Do any of these situations sound familiar?

The kind of depression that I am talking about may not be what you are thinking about. I am talking about what is called clinical depression: a psychiatric disorder characterized by an inability to concentrate, insomnia, loss of appetite, anhedonia (the inability to experience pleasure), feelings of extreme sadness, guilt, helplessness and hopelessness and thoughts of death. This is the real thing.

Here are some sobering statistics on depression in the United States:

Approximately 7 million women in the United States are clinically depressed. Almost 15 percent of women suffering from severe depression will commit suicide. Though women experience depression at double the rate of men, men are three times as likely to commit suicide as women. Up to 2.5 percent of children in the United States suffer from depression. Up to 8.3 percent of adolescents in the United States suffer from depression. Depression affects about 6 million elderly people. In any given year, about 7 percent—between 13 million and 14 million people—will experience a depressive disorder (www.add-adhd-help-center.com/Depression/statistics.htm).

Depression in the Bible?

Is there something wrong with human beings? Why do so many people experience depression? Do you think depression was ever present in the Bible? I didn't think so. How could God-fearing men and women in the Bible experience depression?

But, read all about it! Many prophets, kings and writers of the Bible were depressed at one time or another. You are not alone! And you are in the company of some very faithful servants of God! Let's look at two examples of men and two examples of women who may have been depressed in the Bible.

• King David. He had committed adultery with Bathsheba. He was depressed until he finally confessed his sin. "When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah" (Psalm 32:3-4).

• Paul. I don't see how, with everything Paul went through, he wouldn't have been depressed at times.

He wrote, "I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, and I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches" (2 Corinthians 11:23b-28, NIV).

• Eve. Why not start with the first woman ever? Do you think Eve may have been depressed after she ate the forbidden fruit of the garden and changed the world forever? How would you have felt?

• Naomi. Naomi was probably a happily married woman. She also had two sons. But then her husband died and her two sons died 10 years after her husband. She was left alone with her two daughters-in-law. It must have been devastating to lose her husband and sons like that. Do you think Naomi was depressed at all? I am sure she was.

What Should You Do?

So, what should you do if you are depressed? Should you not listen to others? Should you forget about those who love you? Should you enclose your thoughts and feelings in a fortress so no one can possibly find them?

I know the answers to all three of these questions. Remember, I lived through severe depression. I didn't listen to others, forgot about all who loved me and hid all of my thoughts and feelings way deep in the recesses of my mind. I wasn't in the Church at the time. I was a nonpracticing Catholic, actually.

Looking back, I can see that God was helping me. I went to a self-help group that started me on my road to recovery. Then, I went to a social worker who talked with me about my past, present and future. Next, I went to the Peace Corps, where I finally came into contact with the true Church.

So, what is the first thing you should do when you find yourself severely depressed? Turn to God. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

This step, turning to God, may not seem easy when you are depressed. If you are depressed, you probably think you are feeling that way because God is not giving you financial success, a stable family, good health or a strong sense of self-esteem.

It is so easy to blame God for all of our troubles. But, remember, from the beginning, God gave man the power of choice. Is it possible that we create many of our own problems, through bad choices that we have made in our own lives?

The second step, after truly connecting with God through prayer and meditation, is to seek assistance from those who love you. Listen to what they say.

I know that in my situation, I was not listening to anyone. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself and thinking that no one understood me. This prevented me from reaching out for help from my family or friends. Talking your problems out with even an anonymous person, like a social worker, or asking help from a minister may help. I know it helped me. I didn't feel like I could share any of my feelings with my family, so having that third party really helped.

Remember, severe depression can be very dangerous. I almost reached that point of no return in my life. I beseech you to get help before it is too late, if you are experiencing depression now or face it in the future.

Depression is a serious issue. It is a sickness that almost all of us experience at one time or another in our lives. There are different levels of depression. But, one of the true markers of severe depression is if you are having any kind of suicidal thoughts. I was. I sought help and I recovered. You can too.

God is there for all of us. He will guide you to a proper understanding of what life is all about. Never give up hope. UN