Standing on the sidelines when your spouse battles depression can feel like a helpless experience. You might feel confused, frustrated and overwhelmed. You might feel like every attempt you make to “help” is either rejected or ignored.

Depression – or major depressive disorder – is a common condition that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It isn’t a choice or a little case of the blues. It’s an illness as serious and life-altering as diabetes. A depressed spouse can’t just “snap out of it”, or “get on with life”...