I am suffering from severe Major Depressive Disorder. I am single and living alone. The only company I have is that of my three dogs. With the help of medication and the company of my dogs, my condition has stabilised and I would like to share such experiences with OffBeat readers.

In a modern society, more and more people are suffering from depression. There are many factors for this. From a psychiatric point of view, depression is caused by the abnormalities in certain types of neurotransmitters in human brain. People with depression would lose interest in everyday activities, feel lethargic, have lots of bodily discomfort and always want to sleep or rest. They don't want to go out to meet people and become withdrawn from social life. They can't sleep well, are nervous and pessimistic.

These are the symptoms of depression. In some cases the illness is so serious that patients would attempt suicide. To prevent them from taking their own lives, hospitalisation is preferable, especially for those living by themselves. I am one of those people.

Taking care of a patient with severe depression is absolutely no easy task. Most people would encourage the patient to stay relaxed and positive, or go out more often and make more friends, etc. However, these are usually not helpful to people with depression. Patients having abnormalities in their neurotransmitters in their brain require medication, just like people with diabetes having problems with the level of their insulin. In addition to medication, constant care, sensitivity and understanding are also important for their recovery.

Pets do a wonderful job for people with depression. I keep three dogs, Bagel, Bo Bo and BB. They can't say, "I love you" or "I care for you", and I even have to take care of them. They need my attention so much if I do not pat each of them on the head as soon as I have come back home, they would fight with one another out of jealousy. Sometimes they would bite me when I try to stop them fighting. When they realise I have been bitten, they would immediately stop fighting and remain quiet. They would crouch down and look at me with a guilty look, as if begging for my forgiveness.

Though they make a lot of trouble for me, I enjoy watching TV with them, sharing the bed with them, feeding them, cleaning up the mess they make and walking them.

When I return home from work, my dogs would bark, asking me to take them out. Once I open the door, they would drag me out and make me run after them, and would not stop until they have their poo and pee. When it is time to go home, they are very tired and I have to pull them back home.

When I am down, they would lick away my tears, and stay close to me. They would look at me with their big eyes, as if asking me what was happening. Even when I lose interest in life and want to kill myself, they would "wake me up" by barking at me fiercely.

Time has gone by and so has my depression. With the company of my dogs, my life has become very stable and satisfying. Though it has taken me a lot of time and effort to take care of three dogs at the same time, they are always with me no matter I am happy or sad. They are always supportive and would never leave me until the end of their lives. My recovery proves that dogs are "doctors" or "nurses" for people with depression.