It's been said that in order to solve a problem, you first must get clear on exactly what the problem is.

One of the biggest myths about depression is that it is a disease, a sickness, or some kind of ailment. This is simply not true.

There is actually no such thing as "depression." Depression is not a thing. It has no independent existence. What we call depression is simply the prevalence of negative emotions, mostly despair, grief, shame, and guilt.

So the first step to lifting yourself out of depression is to stop labeling it as depression. Remember, it is not a thing. If you believe that depression is a disease and that you are infected with it, then you are likely to believe that you are powerless to change it. You're likely to believe that "depression" has ensnared you, that is has got a tight grip around you, and that makes it less likely that you will ever be able to free yourself from it.

When it comes to depression, you also need to be very careful about the language you do. Labeling your condition as "depression" is a big mistake. But another mistake is to identify with it. For example, if you say, "I'm depressed", then you are identifying with it. You are saying that "I am depression." You absolutely never want to make a disease your identity, especially a disease that is not actually a disease to begin with.

What I'm hoping you'll get out of this is that the answer to solving depression is inside of you. It has a lot to with your beliefs. You need to understand that your beliefs are very powerful and have enormous control over how you feel. They can empower you, and they can also create limitations. They can allow you to reach the stars, and they can cause you to hit rock bottom. With the right beliefs, as well as the right values, you can handle any situation (no matter how difficult or tragic). And you won't have to worry about being depressed.

Not only is "depression" not a disease, it is not the main problem. In reality, it is a symptom of a bigger problem. You've heard the expression about how it's a mistake to treat the symptoms instead of the disease. Well, depression is not the disease. It is merely the symptom. It is being caused by something. And until you figure out what that "something" is, you have no hope of changing it.

Depression is mainly caused by the inability to handle fear. There is something that you're afraid of, and that fear is causing you to feel depressed. If you can just figure out a way to handle the fear, then you'll be free of depression forever.

I'd like to share with you the simplest and easiest ways to handle your fear, so I've set up a website called Done With Depression (http://www.donewithdepression.com). Here you can find plenty of free articles and strategies that you can use to overcome depression quickly and easily. Getting over depression doesn't have to difficult if you know what to do.