by Zoumana Coulibaly

Created on: November 03, 2008   Last Updated: November 11, 2008

Depression is known as a psychological state with symptoms that such as changing moods and feelings of careless among others. The arguments about what the exact symptoms of depression can be legitimate, but depression is more an involuntary state of mind which in some cases is helpful for the depressed individual. For most people, depression is undesirable and detrimental with extreme consequences such as suicide. Meanwhile, there are unseen benefits to having a depressed life that shows that it is not a disease. One of those benefits is the ability of the depressed individual to know its surrounding better.

Indeed, it is during those moments that one can find whether those around care or are just being friendly. By caring, i mean trying to open up a conversation about one's feeling; also, it means not letting the depressed individual isolate himself or herself as a consequence of the lonely aspect of depression.

Another advantage of depression is that it allows one to know his or her inner self better by having a frank communication with that latter. This somehow lonely communication is important and is the element that tells whether that depression is benign or extreme. That inner discussion is what keeps the depressed individual psychologically alive by having a close look at his or her life, talking with himself or herself, and appreciating what one has done so far.

It can be argued that depression is a psychological disease which would be legitimate, but, in light of the benefits listed above, it can be said that the path one's depression takes is due and related to one's innate character. Having a fighting spirit and being a non quiter can help one not becoming extremely depressed; being used to be alone and to comunicate with one's inner self is depression thus a psychological disease for the common individual, but it is a meditative state for the concerned person. It can be seen that not having those innate attributes brings one more toward extremism in depression and ultimately suicide.

This article was not written to prove or disprove that depression is a disease, it was meant to communicate with the general public about my personal view on depression as a depressed person. For all the depressed readers, I would like to say that it is very important to find a trustworthy person who will listen to whatever we have to say and have an honest compassion. It is vital to have someone to regularly talk to and share anything that comes to mind. By default, this person is oneself. This abstract feeling will not help dissipated depression but it will certainly help one better cope with that painful and involuntary psychological state.

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