Befriending Depression

It's almost unbelievable how so many of my close friends have depression. Just a few years ago, I wasn't even aware that depression was an illness. Now, I see that a number of the people dearest to me have it. And no, I'm not talking about "my-girlfriend-or-boyfriend-broke-up-with-me" grief here. I'm talking about the real thing, as described in this article (there is a better description somewhere, but I can't seem to find it at the moment). It makes me wonder, has depression really become so common? Or am I just a magnet for people with depression? Thinking about it, yes would probably be my answer to both questions.

I'm no expert, but while I do know that depression is sometimes caused by a person's genetic makeup, I also think that the lives we lead today can cause a lot of stress that can eventually lead to depression. We live fast-paced, hectic, and oftentimes impersonal lives. All around us we are bombarded by expectations of what we should do or who we should become. It's difficult to measure up sometimes.

As a Scorpio, I'm naturally very emotionally intense and introspective. I just don't have the ability to deal with people who have a shallow outlook on life. I think it's easy for me to get attached to people who have depression because I've found out that their depth of feeling and emotion is something I can really connect with. They are the type of people with the deepest, purest, and most beautiful personalities. Unconsciously, I pick them out from all the friends I have and put them in this special place in my heart. I'm not afraid to bare my heart out to them because I know they'll get me. (I hope they know I get them, too.)

Experts say that having a friend or loved one who is depressed is very difficult. That's probably true, but it really doesn't matter to me. Having them in my life is completely worth it. I also like to think that if there are people who can understand depression and deal with it, I'm one of them. I've been blessed with the optimism and determination to balance out some of their negativity. I don't want to change them (they're already amazing as they are), but I'll always hope that in one way or another, I'm able to make a mark in their lives and make them even just a teeny bit happier.

My friends who are depressed complement my existence in ways I cannot describe in words. They have taught me so many things about life that I would never have learned from other people, the most important of which is that I have to be grateful. I have to be grateful that I have the ability to feel happiness, because if you are depressed, that is a gift you just cannot seem to have. I love them to pieces and would never trade their presence in my life for anything in the world.

P.S. Depression is more common than we think. Please learn more about it. You never know who among your loved ones might be suffering from it.