[throwbipolar]

There are many mentally ill people who "power through", though. Some call it high-functioning depression.

There are different severities - a small depressive episode, a multi-year dysthymia or mixed (manic + depressive) episode.

I've been managing OK without meds, but maybe simply depression wasn't as severe as that of other folk. It's still a mental illness.

However, the effectiveness of Mindfulness based stress reduction and acceptance & commitment therapy show that those who can distance themselves from their thoughts have developed "mental resilience"