From @user44 "You know how to stop a depressed person? You tell him something like "Nothing is impossible if you trully want it. it's all about will power. So get a grip on yourself!" and he usually replies something like "yeah, I know, you are right" and then the next day you find him even more depressed Depression is a downard spiral, the guy tries to get a grip on himself, fails, and gets even more depressed as a result because he obviously can't EVEN do just that. Depressions are usually hard to spot, most depressed people aren't even aware they are into one, and the reasons for getting into a state of chronic/"perpetual" depression can range from psychological traumas to idiotic vitamin defficiency and stupid chemical imbalance in the body. Low testosterone levels for example. Being chronically depressed is like being the witness of your own life, years are passing by and you watch, and you can't help it and you have no idea why, you fail to act, you fail to even be able to care about anything, and your entire life can sink in the gutter just like that"