system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Existential thoughts and depression?

Why is having an "existential crisis" and depression closely linked? Is it not possible to ponder the meaning of life, purpose, values and that sort of thing without something being wrong in your life?

From my quick Google searches I've found answers like "see a therapist, stay busy, and try not to think about those kinds of things." "*Normal* people don't have *time* to think like that." I've always been deeply intrigued by philosophy my entire life. Does this make me a depressed individual? Does that mean people on this subreddit are "depressed" or have "too much free time" so to speak? I'm quite confused.

Note: I'm new to this subreddit. I don't have any background in philosophy so I'm sorry if it came off as a weird question. What is the general consensus from a philosopher's point of view of having an "existential epiphany" or just thoughts in general of that regard? Is depression necessarily a factor? Is that a misconception? 
Thanks.
gpt
Lacking purpose can be a factor in depression. Finding life meaningless is in fact a common symptom. Victor Frankl argues convincingly in *Man's Search for Meaning* that there are three ways by which we may discover meaning in life: One is by creating a work or doing a deed, or in other words, accomplishment. Another is by experiencing something or encountering someone. Lastly, it is by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering. Someone having an existential crisis may be understood as suffering from a crisis of meaning, of failing to discover meaning in one of these three ways.