How a bout of depression can be good for you, Daily Mail, 24th February 2008, By David Derbyshire

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1774


A bout of depression could be good for the soul, a leading psychiatrist claims.

Dr Paul Keedwell says the condition may bring misery to its sufferers, but it can also leave them tougher and more resilient.

He also claims it can spark creativity and may even have been beneficial during evolution.

The theory comes as a growing number of academics question attitudes to depression and sadness.

Some say doctors and drugs firms are too eager to diagnose the condition and then treat it with expensive and potentially harmful drugs.

Official figures show that a quarter of us will suffer from depression at some point in our lives.

Last year, around 32million prescriptions for anti-depressants were issued in the UK - the most on record.

Economists say depression costs Britain around £17billion in sick leave and lost productivity alone.

Dr Keedwell, an expert in mood disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, says the condition has been with mankind for thousands of years - and may have played a key role in evolution.

In a controversial book, How Sadness Survived, he claims it can give us increased resilience to cope with life's dramas and tragedies.

He said: "We see it as a defect - often patients see themselves as broken in some way - whereas I think of it as a defence mechanism.

"It has simply adapted in the human species to give us long term benefits."

A Dutch study recently showed patients coped better with problems after they had suffered from depression.

However, a minority became worse, particularly if they were isolated, or had a drink or drug problem.

Dr Keedwell, who suffered from the condition in his 30s, said: "In the severe form it is terrible and life threatening, but for many it is a short term painful episode.

"It can help people to find a new way of coping with events or your situation - and give you a new perspective, as well as making you more realistic about your aims."

Marjorie Wallace, of mental health charity Sane, said it was important to remember that while some had the inner strength to deal with depression, others needed to seek help to overcome it.

I kind of agree. I think people go through depression to learn something about themselves and it may be hard but your mind has to go through it for some reason. You may need some help to sort your thoughts out by seeing a therapist. I think people who have been through it have a different perspective on life and do learn something. Or at least that is what I want to believe..if it gets me through the day.