If you're struggling with depression, you're not alone. We've all experienced it, at one time or another. When you feel depressed, there are emotional and physical symptoms that accompany it. We will feel fatigued, restless, irritated, struggle to concentrate and focus, and have difficulty sleeping.

Depression can stem from a traumatic event, a biochemical cause, or from personal problems. Often, depression is caused by unrest (or turmoil) in your personality or way of thinking.

Let me share some examples. When my father died, I grieved deeply. I felt like a part of me had died. One of my patients, Alec, also felt a sense of loss, although his circumstances were different. He was unexpectedly fired from his job, and felt bewildered and disoriented. Another client, Sam, felt depressed when his house burned to the ground, and he lost everything that mattered to him.

When unpleasant things like this happen, it is hard to think straight and know what to do next. Remember that all emotions have a lifespan. Give yourself time and permission to grieve, and feel those feelings. Often, the feelings will fade away with time, and you will heal and feel like yourself again.

Also, you may want to talk to a professional counselor, to get help dealing with your feelings. Depression is what happens when self-pity and negative emotions overtake us. Guard your mind against negative, self-defeating and discouraging thoughts. Whenever a negative thought comes, counteract it with a positive thought.

For instance, if you think "I've lost everything. There is nothing left to live for" then counteract with "Ok, I lost my job, but life is still worth living. I still have my health, my family and some money in the bank to hold me over."

This simple technique-- counteracting your negative thoughts with positive ones-- will protect you from spiraling into depression. It will also give you the energy that you need to think about the next step. You need to reserve your energy to come up with a "plan B" and be motivated to follow through.

Look for productive ways to deal with feelings of depression. Overcoming depression isn't quick or easy, but you can do it. Take heart, and rise above the storm, because it is there that you will find the sunshine.

The key to overcoming depression is to start small and gradually build from there. Feeling better takes time, but you can get there if you make positive choices for yourself everyday and you allow others to help.