Benefits of depression

I've always been someone that's just been happy. As a child I was bouncy and round, and generally always stayed as such. A part of a way to get good conversation with girls would be to ask silly questions. A favourite one is: what are your three best qualities? Around 12 months ago my response was being loyal, being able to make everyone happy and caring/giving. I've never had any problems overall, just got along with things and everythings just generally worked out fine... till this summer. Depression hit me. I'm firmly out of depression now, but I'm trying to find the silver lining from it. If you google benefits of depression it comes up with a mixed bag. The most relevant article is this one in the new York times. Depression is a painful experience, there is nO doubting that, but the suggestion is that all of the worlds greatest thinkers from Churchill to Darwin to arisotle have all suffered from depression at some point. As the RAF might say from adversity to the stars. The main point about depression is the fact that you end up ruminating continuously thinking over a problem again and again till you're blue in the face. You think deeply about a problem with deep concentration, the sort of thought process that enables high level creative thinking. Not that it's saying much by I managed to achieve a Mark of 78 in my dissertation which I completed during my depression. So what were my personal benefits from depression? I opened up to people. I had been very insular before. Never needed anything from anyone. Had lots of good friends but never developed any sort of attachment just good bonds. I was never able to differentiate between convenience friends and real friends. You become acutely aware of the things that make you happy and you try and aim for those things alone. Hence, I've decided to apply for a masters. I'm moving out of home next week and I've generally set myself different goals. I wouldnt recommend anyone go through depression and experience allows yourself to create instincts that prevent the onset of depression. The argument proposed is that depression hasn't been rooted out of our systems through evolution but that it is an adaptation that allows one to refocus. All communities have had some sort of depression, cavemen went through it however it appears that depression is more prevalent than it used to be. I fought my way out of depression without the use of any form of medication. All I can recommend is finding the root cause of your unhappiness and change the circumstances to adapt them.