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Why Depression Was the Best Thing That Happened to Me
Let me start by saying this: depression is not something anyone should strive for. It’s not a badge of honor, nor is it a condition to be romanticized. But for me, depression was the catalyst for a profound transformation — a transformation that I didn’t even know I needed.
When I left my job in October 2016, I felt lost, like a ship adrift in an endless sea. I had no direction, no purpose, and certainly no passion. I was caught in a whirlwind of doubt and fear, unable to see a way forward. Depression took hold of me, and for a while, I let it. But in that darkness, I found something unexpected: myself.
Depression forced me to stop. It made me face the parts of myself that I had been avoiding for years. It was like a mirror, reflecting back all the insecurities, fears, and unresolved issues I had buried deep within. And for the first time, I couldn’t look away.
In those moments of solitude, I began to understand the importance of introspection. I realized that I had spent so much of my life being extrusive, focusing on the outside world, trying to meet the expectations of others. I was chasing after things that didn’t align with who I truly was. But depression, in its own twisted way, made me turn inward. It forced me to ask myself the tough questions: What do I want? Who am I? What makes me happy?
