Let me be clear: I am in no way endorsing the misguided notion that clinical depression is somehow "good for the soul", or that it is represents a state of heightened spiritual or artistic awareness. This myth has been thoroughly debunked by my colleague, Dr. Peter Kramer, in his book Against Depression. But I am saying that when we find ourselves dealing with everyday problems, we can find a measure of consolation in the fact that we are troubled only because we are alive -- and life is something we must never take for granted. Just as the philosopher Martin Heidegger argued that the awareness of death allows us to live a more intense and "authentic" life, I believe that the embrace of our problems leads us to a deeper appreciation of our pleasures.

¶ 3:13 PM