We are all sad sometimes, but depression is much more than that. I once had a professor who maintained that "anxiety always precedes depression" and in many cases this is true. Like anxiety, depression has physiological and genetic components and whether it is unipolar or Bipolar, it can be debilitating. Cognitive Behavioral and Interpersonal Process Therapies are helpful in treating depression. Psychoeducation is also a key component. When we can understand, how our thoughts and behaviors are affected by changes in our neurotransmitters, we can break free of the vicious cycle of depression. I often tell people "when you are depressed, you are like a car trying to run on too little oil." The oil, in this case is your Neurotransmitters (often Serotonin and sometimes Norepinephrine or Dopamine). Cognitve therapy and behavioral activation help your body to produce more of these much needed chemicals and can put you on the road to recovery.