I do recommend meditation. May sound pretentious and shit, but it works.
I have been battling depression since my teens. I tried many things, but this is the one that worked and is still working.
My methods are simple, and here it is (for free):
1. Sit down or lie down. Doesn't matter which.
2. Don't try to empty your mind. You might end up thinking about what an empty mind feels like, and that's NOT an empty mind. Instead, simply embrace and accept the fact that you are constantly thinking. Allow it to happen. Don't focus on your busy mind, just accept it. Oh, best do this alone. People are a distraction.
3. No chants. No mantras. No magic. Just be in the experience. Feel your breathing. Feel your heartbeat, if you can. Don't label anything.
4. Do this for a while, and you can access a sense of peace or whatever the fuck. This peace, this solace, is our connection to the universe. We are not the center of the universe. None of us are. We are the universe.
After doing this, I guarantee you can shoot laser beams from your eyes.
Nah, but you can start bringing that state of awareness into your daily life and in your interaction with people. I'm sure of that. Doesn't always work for me, but when it does, it's fucking sweet.
