No matter what the reason for a person's depression they need to be able to count on support to help get through the bad times. Obviously they hope to be able to depend on family and friends to help them, but sometimes those who are closest to them are not what they need.

The depressive often wants to reach out to others who suffer just like them and try to understand through them how to deal better with their disorder.

They may talk to their councilor but again this person is there to treat them, hopefully to understand what they suffer, but not having first hand experience with depression may not have as much to offer, as the person requires.

Fortunately there are many sources of help out there for the depressive who wants to reach out. To begin with there are support groups.

These will be groups of people who also suffer from depression who will meet regularly either at a community center, doctor's office or maybe a storefront, to talk over how they are dealing with their issues.

Groups like these may be particular to one type of depression seeking to bring those who suffer with the same, or at least similar issues together to talk. Or they may be general discussion groups open to anyone who suffers from depression.

You can decide which type you want to attend. Or perhaps you will choose to attend several. A person can never have too much help when they are suffering through a difficult depressive episode.

Some people who deal with depression prefer not to attend groups, but still want to communicate with others like themselves. If they have a computer then this is an easy process. There are hundreds of chat rooms on the Internet for people with depression.

These chat rooms will be hosted from all over the world giving a person so many different people to talk to who may hold answers that their country does not. Once again you can go to ones that are particular to the problems you are having like a bipolar, posttraumatic stress disorder or postpartum depression chat room or ones that are open to anyone with depression who just wants to chat.

These groups have very strict rules of etiquette on chatting to protect those who come on. So, as long as everyone keeps it polite there are no problems amongst the groups.

Basically they just like to keep conversation reasonable just like would be done if you were in a support group.

Some people prefer the anonymity of chat rooms preferring to keep their personal issues private, which is easier done if you needn't be face to face with others.

Some people find that when they are in a bad depressive state they don't want to leave their homes even to attend a support group They feel its hard enough to get to their therapy sessions. Once again that makes chat rooms ideal sources of emotional support during the hard times.