Are There Positives To Depression? Here Are 2 Of Mine

I think that in most negative circumstances there can be some kind of positive to be found. Maybe not be life-altering and not always specifically for the person who experiences it.

Whether it be discovering something, learning something new, learning something about yourself, a broader understanding, and so on, there is usually something positive to be found if you go looking for it.

You may not recognize it right away, it may be something you discover years later when you're looking back at it, but it is usually there if you take the time to find it.

For myself, as well as many others I've talked to, there are positives to take away from having experienced depression for most of my life.

Don't get me wrong, depression is terrible and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, however, it has taught me a lot about life as well as made me look differently at things I experience.

So what exactly are these positives? Let's take a look:

1) Seeing The World Through Different Eyes

My world is filled with a lot of gray, I won't mislead you on that. However, when I am able to see color, everything is definitely more vibrant.

Think of it as looking at a beautiful black and white landscape picture.

Imagine that all of a sudden that picture was turned into crisp, vibrant colors for a moment. When that happens you soak in the immediate new beauty of the landscape. The colors pop out at you and you notice things that you didn't notice when you saw the picture in black in white.

Those few moments of vibrant color lifts your spirits, makes you appreciate the beauty of the world around you, and helps you to believe there is more to life.

Even when the picture switches back to black and white you are able to remember the feelings and appreciation that came with the color. Your life is brightened by that memory and those feelings and you eagerly await seeing it again.

It doesn't get taken for granted as it may with most people.

It's similar, for example, to someone who lives near the mountains, or a lake. After a while, they take for granted that the mountains are there or the lake is there. After a while it's no big deal, nothing big to see, you see it every day. Someone coming from somewhere that doesn't have the mountains or big lakes thoroughly enjoys them during their visit and has long-lasting memories of that visit.

2) I Am More Sensitive Too How People Feel

I find that I do my best to make people laugh, smile, and feel happy. I know what it's like to be stuck in a place of feeling like utter crap.

I also understand the value of a good laugh, something that makes me smile and chuckle in my head. I have a good understanding of just how much that can make a difference in someone's day, whether they are feeling sad or not.

I am careful about how I act or how the things I may say might affect another person.

I am always ready and willing to listen if someone needs to talk about something and do it with patience. I have an understanding of how much it can help to have someone just listen to what you need to say.

I don't carry other people's baggage with me, so that definitely helps me. Things like that just roll off my shoulders, so I'm sure that helps with listening as well.

Those are the 2 biggest positives I have taken away from living with depression.

I believe that most people have their own positives that they take away from different negative experiences and situations. Some may overlap with others while some are unique to the person themselves.

It is not always easy to find the positives in something negative, however, I feel that it is well worth the time to do some investigating and try to find you're own positives from whatever negative experience or situation you experience.

While my depression has been a terrible thing, I don't think I would go back in time and choose to not have experienced it if I could. I am not altogether sure that I would like the person I would be without the depression. While it has been the most difficult journey in my life, I believe it has made me a better person for it, and because of that, I am weirdly grateful, despite my hate for it.

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