Depression (dĭ-prĕsh'ən) n.

What is depression? Medical references begin to describe it as a mood disorder. That doesn't even scratch the surface. Depression isn't feeling "blue". Being sad every once in a while is okay. It's a part of life. Depression is a distorted mirror where the person looking in sees herself as worthless. She has no hope for the future. Everything will be just as bad and get worse. She believes that no one loves her. Even if a lover constantly tells her he loves her and preforms acts of unconditional love, she will never believe him. She loses interest in everything. She doesn't bother keeping up with schoolwork, work, or activities because she doesn't have the energy. Nothing is interesting anymore. She tries to have hobbies to find meaning, purpose. But it requires too much effort and she abandons it. She gets tired of living without purpose and attempts to change her attitude and activities. She forces herself to meet people. To talk. To join organizations. To preform research. She enjoys doing all of these things. Her relationship is everything she wants and needs. Yet she cannot be happy. She is smart. Gets good grades. Is self taught in many techniques. Yet she feels like and idiot. She has every right to be happy and proud. But feels worthless, stupid, undeserving. She has no confidence in what she can accomplish. Everyone tells her she could be great. But her view of herself is so distorted she doesn't believe them. Her efforts in improving her life are met with constant disappointment. One event goes wrong and she breaks. What's the point? Why put so much effort into something if it's just going to fall apart? It's an angry frustrating battle. After so long it's too exhausting, and you just decide to give up. Lock yourself in your house. Sleep for long hours. Come out of your bedroom only to eat. Don't even bother with hygiene. No body will see you anyway.

This is my definition of depression.