Cleo’s world was darkened by depression. Reconnecting brought back some colour | Gill Straker and Jacqui Winship

The very act of talking about it in a supportive environment can provide some comfort for many who are depressed

• The modern mind is a column where experts discuss mental health issues they are seeing in their work
• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email and listen to our podcast

On the face of it, there seemed little to explain the misery Cleo* was exuding. Nevertheless, it was clearly all-consuming and terrible. Cleo had a lot going for her on the surface: she was attractive, young, successful in her career as a publicist, and in a stable relationship with a concerned partner. Yet she sat slumped in the chair across from me, tears streaming, palpably suffering.

I felt at a loss to make sense of her deeply depressed mood but knew better than to ask Cleo to explain it. She had already told me that it was inexplicable to her too - and this made it harder to bear, as she felt she had no legitimate excuse" to be feeling how she did. It's like I have all the ingredients for happiness, but I can't seem to bake the cake," she lamented. And then I feel useless."