Reply #39: I agree with the poster who differentiated the two types of depression [View All]

[Lydia Leftcoast]

There's clinical depression--the kind caused by body chemistry regardless of your external circumstances. Nothing--religion, atheism, chocolate, having your team win--helps except getting your body chemistry recalibrated with drugs.

I know. I've had it.

There's situational depression, caused by something bad happening to you or, in some cases, having fallen into the habit of negative thoughts. For that kind of depression, not only the community offered by religious groups, but also some of the practices, especially meditation, prayer, and singing, have an uplifting effect. I also enjoy the flow of the liturgy and the "vibes" that are produced when a group of people has gathered for a beneficial common purpose.