... of many. It exists in many forms, takes various guises and has been recognised for many centuries. Over two thousand years ago the Greek physician Hippocrates labelled the illness melancholia. The early thinking surrounding depression especially within the Greek community believed that "depression arouse of the body humour especially black bile." (Gilbert 1994) Early reports of depression can be found in numerous biblical texts. King soleman is believed to have suffered from an evil spirit and dark moods from which he eventually killed himself. " The book of Job is regarded as the work of a depressive." (S.Mangen 82) More recent sufferers include politicians such as Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincon and various other writers and poets such as Thomas Mann and Edgar Allen Poe. So whatever else we may say about depression, it seems that it has been in existence for a very long time. It is not unique ...

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