Prompted by a writer friend's depression.
I'm gonna make a couple of assumptions: I think depression is a little more common here on Lush than in the real world. I don't know why that is, though I have some ideas. I also think depression is more common among writers that the general population (I have some ideas about that too, having to do with why you became a writer in the first place, and being a lifelong "outsider," observing and taking notes in your head).
I've certainly had a history with it, though I'm doing pretty well these days.
Anyway, here's my question: is depression a friend or an enemy when it comes to writing? Does depression sap you of the energy to write and read? Or does it give you something to escape into, so it drives you? Does creating something from a blank page give you a feeling of self-worth and accomplishment that helps you out of depression? Or are your dark times likely to make you feel everything you write is a piece of sh1t?
Finally: do you think depression is a major reason why you write?
I read your thoughts and questions but I have nothing to add to it as I don't consider myself a writer nor do I suffer from depression.
Hopefully others can speak freely.
I don't believe folks on here are any more nor any less depressed than the general population. I do believe they are more open about it on here than most other places due to the fact they have found a safe haven to open up concerning their depression and have found understanding and loving support.
My wife is bi-polar as is her sister and her brother is a paranoid schizophrenic who has been in and out of institutions since he was in his teens. He's now in his early sixties with stage five kidney failure (and lucky us, we're his caregiver and trustees). I was diagnosed with Dysthyana which is long term low level depression (aka persistent depressive disorder) and have been for so long it feels normal to me.
Does it help in writing or in any of the other arts? From the number of writers and artist that have apparently been depressed it would appear so. However, I have no data to support that. Writing and art is used sometimes as a way to express their emotions and tool to combat depression.
My wife is an artist as was her mother and uncle. Her sister has an artistic ability and sometimes draws and paint. Her brother writes in his journals, and he has a ton of them stashed away with some very very strange thoughts albeit none violent. Me? I write for fun and the mental exercise.
Hope this helps some.
JackStay
My periods of depression do not usually correlate with creativity. Writing itself, at times, wasn't helpful because while I was dwelling feelings of hopelessness and anxiety while I was writing. It wasn't until I shared some of my journal entries with my therapist that I realized what I was doing.
I think the danger of slipping back into that bad habit is why I don't write when I'm depressed or sad anymore. If I'm super depressed, it comes out in my work and my work is not so great because of it.
So in my case, writing is something I avoid now when depressed. Not because writing is bad for my depressions, but because my depressions are bad for my writing.
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Is depression a friend of an enemy? I don't know yet. When I'm feeling 'down' or 'sad' then writing can be a good outlet. However, it comes through in what I write. That's not always a bad thing though, as when I'm jaded or cynical about life, it comes through in the characters and the worlds I create. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I write cynical, world-weary characters quite well.
Deep depression? No. Nothing much can help with those feelings, and generally, there's no motivation to do anything as well. Luca, I think used a brilliant metaphor, one that I and a lot of others can relate to. Because I think if depression were to take a form, then how he described it fits.
Almost 70 and I still got it!
I don't suffer from depression, but I do get depressed now and then, more so as I've gotten older (which is something I often discuss with my non-existent therapist). Depression is definitely an enemy when I write. I'll add, though, that the associated anger fuels me, for writing or anything else. Channeling anger keeps me from getting depressed and lifts me out.
"I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, hey, this is pretty good."
I don’t know if this is related, but in a previous life I used to work with a lot of very successful and talented television comedy script writers. I was very surprised to find that as a group, they were some of the most depressed people I had ever met. I used to talk to them about it, and they felt that their depression made their writing more astute, honest and relatable, and therefore better quality.
I'm not really a writer, I just want to be one as I think it is a fine hobby.
My opinion is that writers, poets, musicians, and artists are more in touch with their emotions because they, by necessity, need to somehow convey that to others. All art is only art if it moves the observer, or viewer, or reader, on some emotional level. because we attempt to convey what we feel, how it moves us, and what we do about it in our writing we are more readily able to sense any emotional states within ourselves. Elation or depression, it doesn't matter. We evoke powerful emotion with our prose (well, you do, I am trying to learn) and because of that we feel all things much more intensely.
Am I a good witch, or a bad witch? History will decide
Depression is one of the reasons I've started writing. All those unsaid words, and feelings did come out as words, and right now depression is one of the reasons I can't write. It has made me feel so numb, and I cannot paint the feelings in the form of words.
Trust people to be themselves...
When depression is kicking my ass, writing for me is practically non-existent. I've even had times I tried to force myself to write while enveloped in darkness, and it ended up being a staring contest between my laptop and I.
My series is a result of my depression. I grew up in a physically violent household, and I was stuck until I finished my A-levels when I was nearly 19. I tried taking my own life at 18, and turned to writing, releasing my anger and frustrations through someone else because I had no-one to talk to at the time - I was immediately released from the hospital without any medication, therapy etc. I stopped writing it once I was out of the situation, but then I picked it back up, and I'm currently in the process of rewriting so my series has evolved since then.
I have on several occasions triggered myself when reading through the earlier parts which aren't on here though ? I did it a few days back, and I've been in an odd slump since.
I don’t suffer from depression. When I’m just upset or mad, I do find I can write better poetry.
I’m generally a very energized and happy extrovert.
Hugs,
Mysteria
I am not sure they are related, but I do write (my stories often include bisexual threesomes and hot, cummy kisses, if you like that sort of thing), and I have struggled with depression. That said, I can assure you that accomplishing ANYTHING useful while fighting depression is a frickin’ miracle.
I never write when I'm depressed. In fact, I don't want to do anything except sit and be comforted by my favorite books, films or comfort food. I write when I'm uber-confident, but being a perfectionist, I give up when I'm not reaching what I think I'm capable of, so I quit writing and table everything. Sometimes for months. Sometimes for years!
For me, depression zaps all creativity. Writing stops. Everything stops. I wake up thinking, “oh God, here we go again” and wonder how I’m going to get through the day. It’s like living on autopilot and the mental and physical fatigue are crippling. So no, it doesn’t inspire writing at all, not even when it eases off. The happy thoughts that emerge on good days are my creative inspiration and the reason I write.
As of right now, today, this moment I need to modify my original response.
I am currently very depressed and the knowing architect of my own disaster. I also feel very bad for Dronette56 who had the immense displeasure of approving my writing.
I wrote because i was feeling depressed over what I did. It was, for me, a form of therapy. It helped somewhat. I can't say exactly how; but I feel better just getting my feelings out there.
With my recent experiences in mind I feel that I should modify my original response to include that I think that it also helps one to cope with any strong emotions; to put it into a more undertsandable perspective.
Am I a good witch, or a bad witch? History will decide
Employ whatever it takes to lift yourself out of the debilitating effects of depression, I say.
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