I find this a very interesting topic.

I have so often witnessed people projecting their own reactions about living with an illness (when not yet having one to live with) onto individuals they observe living with illness day in and day out. Often, others (observers) automatically assume the individuals living with illness must be depressed, due to the observer's own personal reaction only.

I hear this frequently from "observers," in response to the life situations of those living with illness.

At the same time, I know of many people living with severe pain, incurable ilnesses, etc., actually truly living a higher quality (and a more conscious) life than many living without a chronic illness (as of yet).

While we all know how chronic illness, pain, disability can contribute to "depression," we all also know, from experience (our own or from someone we are very close to) that someone living with chronic illness isn't necessarily also chronically depressed!

We all also learn that our grief and/or sadness is not necessarily "depression." Some people get "mislabel" (and misinterpret) these emotional states.

Thanks so much for sharing on this topic! This is a very important topic, as the quality of life is pertinent to every single being!

It is my hope that all are encountering a very meaningful and a very rich (in every way) life experience!