Why am I crying?

Hope for relief; hope for healing. Depression is often misunderstood because it is associated with moods, and we expect people to be able to control their mood swings. But depression is far more serious than being temporarily "out of sorts." Martha Maughon learned this through painful, first-hand experience. "Why don't you just snap out of it?" is an unfortunate but common response to a person suffering from depression. People who ask this, either audibly or silently, might as well say to a comatose patient, "Why don't you just wake up?" The morning after the traumatic birth of her daughter Becky, Martha woke up crying. Feelings of fear, doom, and anxiety enveloped her. She had a healthy new baby, a loving husband, and a happy family. Yet she was not happy. Her emotions were out of sync with her circumstances. She could not answer her own question: "Why am I crying?" But the answer to this persistent question was depression. A depression severe enough to push her dangerously close to suicide. But thanks to a supportive husband, a caring family, competent medical personnel, and a loving God, Martha's depression came under control. Martha's story -- bravely and candidly told -- shows that there are no quick-fix solutions to depression. But it also shows that there is hope. Hope for relief, hope for healing. And hope is what depressed people need most. - Back cover.