Dear Friend,

If you are suffering from or have ever had depression or anxiety then you are not alone.

Depression is one of the biggest mental health issues affecting Australians today. In fact over 800,000 Australian adults will experience a depressive illness this year. According to Ultrafeedback, over 26% of Australians spoke to their GP about depression, in the last year.

Depression and anxiety can affect people from the everyday hard-working Australian to world-class athletes and leading Australian politicians. 1 in 4 women are affected by depression and one sixth of men suffer from depressive illnesses.

It doesn't discriminate by wealth or power and it certainly doesn't discriminate on age.

Does This Sound Like You?

- People suffer varying levels of depression. Some might even know that they have clinical depression. - Maybe you can't stop worrying about something even though you know it's probably going to be alright? - Perhaps you feel as though everything is going wrong and there is no hope for you? - Sometimes you may not even have the energy to get out of bed? - Worse still you may be considering suicide? Don't give up. - Have you sought help for your depression? Maybe you've tried different treatments. Not all of them work. Trust me - I've tried most of them. There is hope.

If you feel any of these things then please understand - you are not alone. I know what you have gone through and what you might be feeling now - I have gone through it myself. Yep, that's right - I am back from the brink. For five years I suffered depression that my psychiatrist described as the worst he'd seen in his entire career. It got so bad I attempted suicide. Three times. In the same night. Depression ruined my career. My job. My relationship with my family. That's why I wrote this book. I was finally able to overcome my depression. I wish this book had been written whilst I was suffering. It would have made life much more bearable. This book offers hope. I hope it will stop you or those you love from falling into the same downward spiral. Whilst writing the book I found that almost every person I spoke to knows of someone close to them who has suffered from depression. So I reiterate - you are not alone. Because if you suffer from depression - you need to read this book.

"I commend Graeme Cowan's efforts in bringing the people and their powerful stories together in his book and shining a spotlight on depression, anxiety and recovery." - Jeff Kennett, Chairman of BeyondBlue - the national depression initiative.

Australian.