Christy Burke, 14, knows firsthand what depression is like. It is an "uncontrollable and spontaneous sadness," she said.

Here is the story of how she has dealt with this devastating condition.

"It really started in fifth grade and progressed from there. I was sexually harassed by someone I was in a relationship with, and I had a real hard time getting out of that. So that probably started it, and it just kind of progressed from there.

"Sometimes you don't even know what's making you sad; you just feel overwhelmed and just sometimes burst out crying for no reason. And you feel helpless and worthless and like nothing's ever going to help. And you have no idea why, and that's scary.

"Oftentimes, you just want to stay in bed all day and not do anything. Just wait there until you die.

"I think my parents knew (about my depression) because I was crying myself to sleep, complaining about sleep deprivation. I wasn't going out and doing many of the things I used to. I had a very low energy level and I wasn't eating.

"And with a history of a lot of people in my family being depressed, including my dad and partially my mom, as well as lots of grandparents and aunts and uncles, they were just kind of curious and wanting to help. They brought me in to therapy, and then I was later evaluated.

"I was diagnosed with depression in seventh grade. By that time I was feeling so bad that when they started to put me on pills, I was just like, 'Fine, whatever, go ahead. I don't think it'll work.'

"I am currently on my fourth anti-depressant, which I think is helping some. It helps regulate the moods, but I still don't think it's what I need. I'm tired of taking pills. I don't think that chemicals are going to make me feel better.

"I've been in tons of therapy. I know many people who are reluctant, saying, 'I'm not crazy, I don't need therapy, I don't want to talk to them; they don't know what's going on.' And that really isn't true. Just being able to let out your feelings and hear input from someone who knows what you're going through can help.

"Medication and therapy cannot cure you, but it can help and it's definitely a step in the right direction for you to get a clearer view of what's going on.

"At the very beginning, I was afraid to go and talk to people because I didn't know what they would think, and they probably wouldn't believe me, I thought.

"I was kind of afraid that people would look down on me because of it. It's not something you go out, 'Look, I'm depressed, pity me.'

"I finally did go to my friends, just because I was so scared and didn't have anything else to do really. They helped a lot.

"Sometime last year, I had a suicide attempt. But I did get out of that. Not all people with depression have suicidal tendencies, but I happen to.

"It really hurt my relationship with my family because they were scared and they felt they couldn't trust me. They had trouble leaving me alone at times, even though I am like 14.

"I think it helped somewhat in that some teen-agers just push away their parents and their parents just kind of go away. My parents are a lot more there for me. I don't think that really is the situation with a lot of people.

"I do not think I've recovered, but I think it is a lot better than it used to be. I'm no longer suicidal, and I do not hurt myself, which is a big improvement. I'm also able to control more of these impulses.

"I think the hardest thing was trying to convince myself that there is something to keep me going and to pull me out of it. Go to therapy, take the pills, exercise, try and convince myself that there was something there. And oftentimes, when I did this, it did help.

"When I was feeling really bad, I often went to my art and made a sculpture or did drawings, and that helped to vent emotions. It gives me something to do instead of just puttering around and wallowing in 'Ooh, sadness.'

"Real clinical depression isn't just nothing. You can't really help it. It takes over."

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Andrew Clark, 14. REPORTER: Katie Lootens, 12.