"Depression can be devastating, leading to family breakups, loss of employment, even suicide." Depression is a national problem, engulfing some ten to fifteen million Americans within In Speaking of sadness, Karp captures the human face of this widespread affliction as he brings forth his own experience and that of others in a heart felt, personal work. Speaking of Sadness had a powerful impact on my life. Though the sort of depression that I faced was not clinical depression, I still learned quite a bit from Karp's own experiences. The sort of depression I encounter is a result of heavy drug use throughout my high school years, so it affected my life in a different sort which is very difficult for me to explain. From personal experience when I have a serious problem I enjoy taking advice from those who have felt my pain, especially some of my adult friends from church and my youth pastor. Karp has struggled with depression for the majority of his life so he writes from the heart and his own experiences. When people write the truth out of their own experiences, it is very easy to gain lasting knowledge from their testimonies. Throughout the book Karp included personal interviews with real people who had been and were still struggling with depression. It was extremely heart wrenching for me to read each individual's battle with depression. It humbled my soul by bringing compassion for those who suffer hourly with depression. On some level I can relate to those who struggle with depression. "The Two central feelings typifying my depression were frantic anxiety and a sense of grief. These feelings coupled to generate a sort catastrophic thinking about events in my life as concrete as the next day’s lecture and as amorphous as the quality of my relationship." (I. P. 6. David Karp) Throughout Chapter One Karp links depression to a feelings of isolation and complete loneliness. He explains feeling deeply alone while everybody else m...
