Hi Steemians,

This is an important issue because I'm seeing far too many people suffering and there is not enough support being lend out to them. Not the right kind of support.

It's essential to learn and educate yourself about what depression really is, it's not some made up disorder, people are not faking it, they don't do the things they do for attention. They do the things they do because they feel that it's the only way people will notice them, it's a cry for help.

Let's first look at a brief history of depression.

The first interpretation of depression was that it was a mental and spiritual illness rather than a physical one. Hippocrates thought it was an imbalance of bile secretion in our body.

It was also initially called Melancholia, the thought that people were possessed by demons and caused by the gods being angry with that person. This was during the Roman times.

During the 1500's and 1600's, which is called the renaissance period in Europe, depression was making great strides in being understood but on the other hand, it was also characterised by ever increasing witch hunts and executions.

Now by 1621, a guy named Robert Burton, got it right. He described depression being caused by sociological and physiological factors.

Poverty

Social isolation,

The fear of being judged,

Not being accepted

Does this sound familiar my friends? I think these things hold true even to this day. How many of you know someone who feels this way? How many of YOU feel this way? Half the battle is won when you accept that you feel a certain way, now I'm not lecturing here, its terribly difficult because you imagine your life in a certain way and when things don't go the way you want, it really hurts and lowers self esteem and then it turns into a never ending cycle unless you somehow break out of it.

Now during the 1700's and 1800's, which is called the Age Of Enlightenment, depression was thought to be a disease of the temperament that could NOT be changed. They were of the opinion that nothing could be done about it. They were convinced it was inherited.

That school of thought led to people being shunned, discarded and locked up. The majority of modern society still believes this, which is a shame. The result of this was that most people ended up being homeless, extremely poor and were also sent to mental asylums and instituations.

That is a brief history of depression my friends. I am actually amazed at how a lot of it still holds true to this day. We have not emerged out of the dark ages with this. People are taking their own lives because they feel they don't have any other choice. It's not how it should be.

If you know someone suffering, please reach out to them. Your company or your text could mean the world to them.

If you are suffering, seek help, there are people who care. You are not alone. I am sure that this wonderful community will be there for anyone who is suffering. Confide in someone, anyone.