A depressive reaction is basically an acute feeling of despondency and dysphoria of varying intensity and duration. It is a response which is highly subjective in that what causes one individual to become depressed may leave another relatively unaffected. In this chapter the neurotic or pathological states of depression will be dealt with rather than the psychotic states or those transient states of mood typically referred to as dejection, pessimism or disappointment which are relatively common to all. (53 pp.)