Abstract
The purpose of this study is to elucidate the experience of persons with depression who are participating in a Self Help Group for depression (hereinafter referred as SHG). The data collected by participant observation and semi-structured interview targeting 15 SHG members, and analyzed qualitatively. Subjects suffered from feelings of isolation in daily living, such as "agony due to depression" and "pain due to not being understood." They participated in SHG with such backgrounds and positioned SHG as "a place to share depression with fellow company." Furthermore, they felt "fufflilment as a group member," and at the same time learning how to "understand and accept depression." However, the subjects considered the direction of future activities, while feeling difficulties of managing SHG, due to the "limits of the peer support" resulting from ambiguity in knowledge of depression and the management of SHG by persons experiencing depression themselves. From the above, the importance of SHG as a place for persons suffering from depression to meet and talk to each other, and as a method of support recognized by professionals for the management of effective SHG, could be pointed out.
