Depressed? Or know someone who is? (mission, agnostic, suicide)

[prashantkochar1]

Meditation, yoga and pranayama are the best ways to deal with stress or depression. Stress is like a slow poison which kills your body. So, learn the art of meditation and yoga from a true master. Master is like a scientist and only a true master can help you to select a right meditation technique for you.

As Anandmurti Gurumaa rightly puts in...
gurumaa.com/meditation-techniques.php

Mind is always restless, always in a state of flux. It is difficult for us to sit in the silent mode, to be in a relaxed state of mind. What to say about meditation, even simple relaxation is difficult. We need to undergo catharsis to remove all the repressions, all the emotional clouds, all the useless chattering that goes on in the mind. When we achieve this state, we’ll be able to relax totally.

[The Great Architect]

I have been trying to get into meditation for a while, now. Hopefully, it will get under way soon.

[heavyarms553]

Well the important thing to understand here is that there are several varieties of depression. Clinical depression is a state of mind which, by definition, does not respond significantly to outside stimuli. It can be a persistant, nagging depression which won't go away regardless of what lifestyle changes you decide to enact. The severity of the depression varies from person to person, and what helps some might not help others.

That being said, not all depressions are alike. Taking the OP's advice may have a significant effect on your state of mind and at the very least it is worth a try. I especially recommend exercise, as it has been shown to be more effective than SSRIs (a class of antidepressant) in treating certain types of depression.

Atypical depression is a depression which responds to outside stimuli such as good and bad events. Typically they manifest as regular cycles of depression and normalcy, with each phase lasting anywhere from a week to months depending on the person and his/her surroundings. The OP's advice will likely do a good job of snapping a person out of such a depression.

[zenzero]

Friend Wartorious,
That was about the WEST.
In the EAST they had devised PRANAYAMA or deep breathing technique which not only helps getting rid of all psychological, neurological problems but also one becomes healthy psysically and mentally even your weight becomes normal.
So by doing just one thing you benefit all round besides with serious practice one can be enlightened too.
Love & rgds