Not long ago, depression was considered to be strictly a psychological problem that was either self-treated or, in extreme cases, treated with psychiatric therapy. Today, the medical world recognizes depression as a very common and very serious clinical condition. In fact, over 20 million Americans suffer from it and this number has tripled over the past ten years. These days, it is not uncommon for teenagers and even younger children to be diagnosed with clinical depression. Furthermore, depression has been linked to high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer. The fact that depression is now characterized as an epidemic and that many people feel bad on a daily basis is, well, depressing.