MARIE has a bright, cheerful disposition. It is hard to believe that just a few years ago, this 32-year-old woman described herself as being dead inside. Marie had been a victim of serious depression. “It was like a big dark cloud that gradually lifted,” she explains. Yes, happily she recovered and regained her joy.

One day when Marie was extremely depressed, two of Jehovah’s Witnesses called at her home. Immediately she showed great interest in their cheerful Bible message. “Previously, I saw just the utter uselessness of life and so many ugly things, but now I became convinced that I could live in a new world where God would correct all these injustices. With God’s help I could qualify for such a blessing; thus, my life took on real meaning.” As she attended the meetings of the Witnesses, she found genuine love and emotional support. (John 13:34, 35) The skillful counseling of the congregation elders also helped her begin to change her negative thinking. (James 5:14) Her depression began to subside. Multitudes of other people who, like Marie, are depressed by world conditions have found “the joy of Jehovah” by coming to an accurate knowledge of Bible truth.​—Nehemiah 8:10; 1 Timothy 2:4.

So the causes of serious depression are many. Yet, Marie found real joy after becoming a Christian. “I then had hope,” she said. But for some time she still had to endure depression.