Everyone experiences depression at certain times in their life.  It's completely normal and even healthy to feel down so you shouldn't worry about it too much.  That said, if you're feeling blue more often than not, you should consider seeking help.  There are a ton of free resources online to assist people with all different types of depression.  These include Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthymic Disorder, Manic Depression, Postpartum Depression and Atypical Depression.  While all these disorders are different, there are certain treatments that seem to uniformly have very positive results.  Dealing with depression isn't easy - Everyone has to fight through this disease.  Here are 5 tips that will hopefully help lead you to greener pastures. 

This is a fairly simple exercise that people dealing with depression often overlook.  You need to find out why you are sad.  Finding the source of your depression may seem like a bit of daunting task but it's really quite easy.  You just have to bring yourself into the present.  Dwelling on the past or other dreadful thoughts won't get you out of your funk.  Try this simple exercise.  Focus on your breath.  Enjoy the air as it fills your lungs with life and then slowly leaves your body.  Watch your thoughts carefully.  Don't force anything - Just wait and see what comes.  If your mind is still, you'll see the route of your sadness.  Knowing what's making you feel down is a very important part of recovery.  Do yourself a favor and spend 15 minutes a day with this exercise.  You'll be pleasantly surprised with the results!

Keeping bad thoughts bottled up inside is not healthy at all.  In order to leave your depressed state, you'll almost certainly have to talk with someone.  The conversation doesn't even have to be that deep.  Grab a beer with your buddy and tell him how you feel.  Chances are he'll have had similar feelings at one time or another.  If you're really not into chatting with your buddies, I'm sure there is someone else in your life who wants to listen.  Try your mother or father.  They're there to help you through the tough times after all.  If, for some reason, you're still not comfortable with this idea, call a help line.  There are a lot of good hearted folks out there in the land of anonymity that want to help you learn how to deal with depression.

This is a fabulous way to kick the sadness out of your life. Working out and being happy almost go hand in hand. Pick an exercise that you enjoy doing and set aside a bit of time every week to do it. If you're a bit of loner, maybe think about running. There nothing like loading up your iPod with some great tunes and going for a jog in the park. If you enjoy hanging out with other people, on the other hand, there are a ton of options for you. You could play tennis, soccer, hockey, badminton, yoga... The options are endless! Doing this will also introduce you to more people - many of whom may be dealing with same depressive thoughts that you are.

Nothing is better for a sad individual than laughing.  It's one of the easiest ways to cope with symptoms of depression.  Much like exercising, it can be done alone or in a group.  I find that if you get a bunch of people laughing together, it's almost contagious - but in a good way!  Rent a stupid movie with your friends and yuk it up for a couple hours.  Maybe consider going down to the local comedy club for a set or two.  If you'd rather laugh alone, that's OK too!  With all the funny stuff on the internet nowadays, it's super easy to find comedic gold.  One of my personal favourites is the Fail Blog.  It's probably not everyone's cup of tea mind you...  Do a bit of searching though and I'm sure you'll find something that tickles your funny bone.

While most people don't need to go this route, a small percentage do.  If you are in a deep, dark rut and just can't snap out of it , you may need help.  Seek the opinion of a professional doctor.  Don't be afraid to try a few different ones until you find one that seems like he/she is right for you.  Be honest with your doctor.  If you don't want to use medication, tell him.  A good doctor will respect your decision to remain drug-free and do everything in his power to help you.

Learning how to deal with depression is a great skill to have as we all feel down sometimes.  I hope you all found something useful on this hub.  Please see below for some more resources on depression and anxiety treatments.