I never really understood the point of view that depressed people somehow are more realistic, seeing things as they “really are”, while non-depressed people are

I never really understood the point of view that depressed people somehow are more realistic, seeing things as they “really are”, while non-depressed people are overly optimistic. Maybe it’s true in the limited setting of a study, but depressed people tend to behave in ways that are basically irrational and counterproductive: staying in bed, passively ruminating about the future, procrastinating and avoiding useful/enjoyable activities, etc. These are not the actions of a rational person, and many (perhaps not all) depressed people would feel somewhat better if they didn’t engage in these types of activities. It’s definitely hard to change this type of behavior, and change is not a magic cure, but it is a useful component. The reason why I believe the “depressed people are just seeing the world as it really is” line of thinking is harmful is that it encourages people to believe that their depression is simply the result of their accurate world view, and that trying to change things in order to feel better would mean they have to fool themselves.