We all share identical properties that mark us out as human beings. Even so, every person is unique; we are not clones. It’s the same with depression—or perhaps more properly the depressions (plural)—because they manifest in so many different ways and under different circumstances, yet in essence remain the same. This is a simple enough observation, yet there appears to be little understanding of the condition—or conditions—among the general public, who tend to lump together all states of ‘feeling miserable’ into something to be snapped out of, a disease category to be treated medically, or a feebleness of personality to be disapproved of and dismissed. In this new title from Wyn Bramley, many different views on causation and treatment are explored. The emphasis is on real people’s experiences from all aspects of the depressions—sufferers, helpers, family and friends—not a self-help work, but an all-encompassing aid to understanding this common condition.