I am inclined to agree. I don't think you'll ever be your original self again. Depression, like any other "attack" on you, or disease or whatever, would leave some kind of permanent scar. Although this sounds very pessimistic, I think it's an unfortunate reality for all of us. Even if you do "come out at the other end", you don't emerge "unscathed". But, I don't think one should necessarily view it as a negative thing. You possess insight and experience nobody else would ever have who have not been through it themselves. There are situations they might face where you would be the only one who would provide the right advice. I think the whole experience makes you wiser in the process. It would seem it makes you less trusting of others and a little more pessimistic, but in today's world that's not necessarily a bad thing anymore, considering that around almost every corner nowadays lurks some schemer or con-artist.