What Depression Is Good For

by Dr. Archibald D. Hart

In my book Dark Clouds, Silver Linings, I make the point that depression is actually a €œhealing emotion € if you cooperate with it. God has created us to experience depression, and we need to understand why it is there.

Depression can be seen as one of three things: a symptom, a disease or a reaction. As a symptom, depression is part of the body's warning system. In the case of a serious illness, it slows us down so that healing can follow. Otherwise we would self-destruct. If we heed its call and get the necessary treatment, the depression brings healing.

Major depression is also a disease in its own right. Major depression afflicts many, and has no other physical consequences other than robbing us of joy and the ability to live to the fullest. But when it prompts us to seek treatment, it brings healing of body, mind and spirit.

Someone has said that depression is a cry of the soul that something is missing. This is certainly a perfect description of reactive depression. And as a reaction, depression plays a particularly important role in healing. It removes us from our environment and slows us down so that we can come to terms with our loss. This is called €œgrief work. € When we do it properly, it brings profound healing to every part of our being.

Can depression ever be a healthy response to life's circumstances?

Yes, it can. One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to think of depression only in terms of pathology. Depression can be a healing emotion. It can bring us face to face with ourselves so that we are forced to make healthier choices.

There are times when being depressed is God's plan for your life! Perhaps the best example of this is grief. Grief, including crying, is good for us. It cleanses our soul and emotions. Extreme loss such as bereavement or being divorced calls for grief. And the more freedom we give ourselves to grieve, the more rapid is our recovery from the loss.