SYNOPSIS:

    This exploration of our inner spaces
will contrast two forms of depression:
(1) psychological or situational depression
and (2) existential or spiritual depression.
Psychological depression is always linked with specific life-situations:
We get depressed when college is boring,
when we have family or financial problems,
when love lets us down, etc.

    But the other kind of depression
cannot be directly traced to a cause.
We are quietly haunted by a vague sense or dark mood.
Thru the hollow depths of our being sounds a low, moaning tone,
which breaks into consciousness
when our daily preoccupations fall away.
Attempting to understand this deeper depression
will be the main thrust of this article.

OUTLINE:

I. TWO KINDS OF DEPRESSION
    A. Psychological Depression—From Disappointments and Failures.
    B. Existential Depression—Uncaused, Irrational, Pervasive.
    C. Differentiating Psychological and Existential Depression.

II. THE DYNAMICS OF EXISTENTIAL DEPRESSION
    A. The Collapse of Comforting Life-Illusions.
    B. Capturing Existential Depression in Descriptive Words.
    C. Attempting to Cope with Existential Depression.

III. FREEDOM FROM EXISTENTIAL DEPRESSION—EXISTENTIAL JOY

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