As a person living with clinical depression, there was a short time when I was unable to obtain my medication and experienced the onset of an episode of major depression. Let me explain to you how these episodes feel to me when they occur. Perhaps this can help you understand if you or a loved one are going through something similar. This is a disease, and should be treated as a disease. Treating the victim as if they are lazy or worthless will only make matters worse.

First, I wake up with a feeling of absolutely no reason to get out of bed. I have no energy and the world appears black and hopeless. Even if I know I have things that need to be done, I find myself unable to make my feet hit the floor. I simply roll over and sleep some more - and some more - until my body simply can't sleep any more. It's not unusual for a person experiencing a major depression episode to sleep 14 or more hours a day.

When I do get up, I can barely move around the house. The most simple task becomes a mountain. Therefore, junk food is the best I can manage to prepare. Craving sweets is not abnormal during an attack. Nutrition suffers and the side effects of poor nutrition add to the depression cycle. Sugar highs go way leaving a sugar 'slump' on top of the depression.

Once I get up, it takes every bit of inner strength to get into the shower and perform personal grooming. In the most severe cases, people will not shower for days or weeks. They will wear the same clothes to bed and all day for several days and nights. Personal appearance becomes impossible to worry about.

When I did make myself get up and go out for a compelling reason, such as having no food in the house because I hadn't shopped, it takes every ounce of energy I have to go a few blocks and get two small bags of food.

Washing dishes was, of course, out of the question. Talking to friends wasn't something I could deal with either, so I didn't answer the telephone or the door. This could last for several days or even a week at a time.

Even when the most hilarious comedy was on television, I couldn't laugh. Often, for no reason, I would break out in tears. Nothing was enjoyable in any way.

I sometimes felt that life had no meaning and I should simply end it. However, I already knew I didn't have the guts to even get THAT right, so that was pointless to try as well. Everything was completely pointless.

Usually someone or something pulled me from these episodes. Someone would insist on seeing me and refuse to go away until I got up and moved around. Whatever happened to get me moving, once I got up and moved around after a few days, I would feel better. I never felt GOOD during these episodes, but I would feel better for days or weeks at a time - until yet another episode of major depression hit me. Then the cycle began once again.

Shortly after getting back on my medication, my major depression became manageable again. I rarely have really bad days now. A really bad day is one where I feel a little sluggish and lazy, but never to the point I can't bring myself to get out of bed and live life. I have 'normal' bad days just like everyone else does. For the most part, I have pretty good days the majority of the time.

I still experience some minor depression when days are grey for several days in a row, but I've found this can be managed by seeking out places with bright lights. Perhaps I have a touch of seasonal effective disorder. I am very, very grateful that I no longer have lengthy, frequent episodes of major depression.

If you or a loved one relate closely to some of the attributes I've experienced and shared in this article, seek professional help. There IS a solution and that solution is the right medication from the right professional psychiatrist. There is no other solution that will work when dealing with imbalanced brain chemistry.

Don't let pride or anything else stop you from seeking help if you believe you have even some of the symptoms I've outlined from my personal experience. The situation will only get worse if untreated. Don't suffer any longer when help is a phone call and a doctor's appointment away.