This is the West Suffolk CBT Service's latest and most developed book on depression. The use of the term 'the Black Dog' to describe symptoms of depression can be traced back to 40 BC when it was included in the work of the Roman poet Horace. In more recent times it was made famous by Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II who often referred to his Black Dog, and the Australian writer and illustrator Matthew Johnstone who wrote the best-selling book 'I had a Black Dog'. For centuries the Black Dog has been associated with fear, intense pain, and emotional distress. In the literature the Black Dog has a formidable reputation. Run from it, and it will hunt you down relentlessly. Wrestle with it, and it will bears its fangs. Fear it, and it will stalk you unabatedly. Hide from it and it will haunt you until you are all but a shadow of your previous self. Feed it and it will become much bigger than you. For some, suicide feels like the only escape from it. The irony, however, is that the Black Dog is misunderstood. By the time that you finish reading this book you will find out that the Black Dog is not your enemy, nothing could be further from the truth. The Black Dog is loyal and will never let you down. The Black Dog has its own language, and follows a specific set of commands and rules. Once you understand the Black Dog, how it operates, and how to communicate with it, you will find that it will happily remain in the background, rather than taking a dominant role in your life.