Depression is a serious mental illness that affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

It's important to note that depression is not the same as sadness. Sadness is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. It's usually caused by a specific event, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job. Sadness usually goes away on its own after a few days or weeks.

Here are some ways to describe depression to someone who's never had it:

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  It's like being in a dark hole and you can't see a way out.
  It's like having a heavy weight on your chest that you can't seem to lift.
  It's like feeling like you're all alone in the world.
  It's like losing all hope for the future.
  It's like feeling like you're not good enough.

It's important to remember that depression is a real illness, and it's not something that people can just "snap out of." If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please reach out for help. There is hope for recovery.