Thank you ALL for making this such an active thread! I'll offer my opinion. I think that such experience educates us in emotions and behaviors, while giving us compassion for others with similar issues.

For those who say there are no benefits to mental illness... Prior to any problems or diagnosis, would you have accurately depicted the suffering of mental illness as what you go through now? Weren't things much different for you before it developed? Have you not given more compassion to others with similar problems?

It seems to me that all of us here have a lot of compassion to share. We all have difficulties in life with relationships, money, jobs, various anxieties and stresses, health and medical issues. We also have emotions, behaviors and personalities that are more extreme when compared to that of the rest of society.

We are an elite group--the chosen ones, if you will--challenged by ourselves--our own minds--to learn and grow from our experiences. No, it's not always easy, and in fact, rarely is easy. It's up to us to accept that challenge.