Undercurrents.

"Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind."
Thomas Jefferson

Undercurrents by Martha Manning is a terrific book and I recommend it to anyone who is in the medical field or who wants to understand depression. Undercurrents is a therapist's (from Northern Virginia) account of being lost in depression. She illustrates many aspects of the inner workings of the mind that could enable anyone to better understand depression.

Depression affects approximately 19 million Americans every year, however, this number is only an approximation. Due to the stimga attached to the disorder, many people go on undetected and undiagnosed.
In this book, psychotherapist Martha Manning journals her two year experience with debilitating and treatment resistant depression. The book takes the reader through the emotional rollercoaster of Major Depressive Disorder that Martha names to be a "cruel punishment" without definitive tests to diagnose and like cancer, consists of self erosion (Manning, 1995, p. 107).
Martha reaches points in her life where she feels hopeless and describe herself as consisting of an "ache an emptiness," that she can't explain. She manages to maintain her practice as a therapist, all the while questioning her self how she is able to help other people while not being able to help herself.
While questioning a patient about feelings, she realized the extent of her depression.
She tried many unsuccessful treatments and eventually found a treatment that worked for her, ECT.

It is a quick read and if you have the time, pick it up. I promise that it will make you a better health care provider, friend, family member, and improves self-development.