I don't know where you have been reading but depression & anxiety are very common in tramadol withdrawal. Tramadol includes a monoamine reuptake inhibitor which inhibits the reuptake of serotonin & to a lesser exten noradrenaline in a similar manner to the older style tricyclic antidepressants.
So while on tramadol you are also on an antidepressant which means that part of the withdrawal is like coming off an anti depressant.
If you stop tramadol under a doctor's management you can be given anti-seizure medication & also an antidepressant which should relieve the depression somewhat.
You can't really take any MOAI or SSRI type antidepressants while you are tapering as there is a risk of too much serotonin & use of SSRIs & tramadol together is what creates most of the risk of seizure, along with high doses of tramadol.
There is a thread dedicated to tramadol withdrawal here:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/136095
There are many who are now going through withdrawal or have been where you are & you can get instant support at most times of the day.
That feeling of death is also quite common & completely caused by the drug. If you read through the whole history of the Emily Post thread I have posted above, you will see that you are not alone or unusual at all, tramadol can be a nasty nasty drug.
Best wishes & please keep posting.