Can you post the link to the article?

It's true that if you are self-aware through difficult times you can get to know yourself well enough to know how to get out of the tunnel. I'd like to see the article.

Depression does negatively impact life longevity, however I believe it is life's test that make a person better off, and having the empathy that comes with depression, teaches us many lessons.

"Only in these days of your souls reflection, your minds restructuring, and your bodys rebuilding, will you peaceably grasp the inheritance of a forged soul, and that the gods hurled thunderbolts will roar and crack, while you dance in the rain."
--Me

I think it can be, I have re evaulated my values through my out patient course that I attend and think I understand what I have to do in life. My depression is lifting and I know it can come back but I am regulary on to other forums on DS helping, assisting and supporting others,. If I didn't have depression I wouldn't have found DS anyway.

I would say only in the way that it might make those of us experiencing it more understanding of various conditions most people seem not to care about or are ignorant of.

Depends on whether you cope with it well. I don't know many who do. I do know the saying you can't be happy without a sadness, but I don't think this refers to depression. I it did I would be the happiest person in the world.

I'm so happy I could shit then.

Ha ha what do you think?

If in the midst of depression you take your own life, i don't see how depression can be "good for you" then!?
If its mild and short lived, then yes i can see that you could come out of it better off in some ways.
Depression can be so varied for many pple, i dont think the pple who wrote the article can be so black and white in their thinking. I guess the crucial word here is "can be"

Everyone has depression at one time or the other. To a point, it is normal.

As such, the point of the article is 'pointless'.

It is like saying 'Getting hit by a car is good because you then know how it feels' ... except not everyone gets hit by a car.

(I have not read the article .. I take this from your post).

It's probably good for you in the sense that it teaches you humility, that life does not always go your way, and tests your mettle, forces you to look at yourself, in all your strengths and fallibilities, and, if you can still LIKE yourself, well...that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Depression has ruined my life, put my marriage at risk and crushed my productivity. It has also had a massive affect on my finances. If by depression they mean severe, clinical depression then they're talking absolute shit. However, if they mean you wake up a bit sad one day then they might have a point as you it will help you appreciate the good times.

I would be interested to read this article and tear it to pieces.

I don't know. I think that 10,000 x more bad comes with depression than good. However, I believe that since I've had severe depression since a very young age, I've matured at a much faster rate than my peers. I guess I do know how to cope with things well compared to others, but depression is absolutely horrible and I don't think it's worth it.

I would really like to see the article.

Here is one of the article http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/is-depression-good-for-you.aspx

Thanks MonP, I can relate to the article but also can understand when you have depression it is probably the last thing you can think about or think is possible. The brain is a strange and wonderful thing as that's all depression is thoughts that our brain keep telling us. It can cause some physical problems but most of the time it's just thoughts and thoughts can't hurt us.