Plumbing the depths of despair

It is not something to be taken lightly. Left untreated it can kill as quickly as a physically debilitating disease. Liu Zhihua takes a closer look at depression.

It is more than just feeling low all the time. Depression can kill you. "I choose to die because I have depression. No particular reason. No big deal, and bye-bye." These were the final words a depressed college student in Nanjing posted on her weibo, or micro blog, before taking her own life.

Depression is a mental disorder that causes a constant feeling of sadness, helplessness and apathy paired with physical symptoms such as sleeplessness and psychosomatic or physical pain. It inflicts great suffering - so much so that in extreme cases, patients may finally commit suicide.