Personify Your Depression: If my depression were a person... [fill in the blank]
Personify Your Depression: I learned about this coping technique today. Imagine that your depression is a person separate from you. The idea is that personifying our depression helps remind us that depression doesn't define who we are ourselves, and that invasive self-critical thoughts we experience often come from our depression and not our healthy minds. Some things to think about are: what kind of person would it be, what kind of hobbies would it have, what would it look like, what would its name be?
So, if your depression were a person, what kind of person would it be?
If my depression were a person, it would be me at 16 years old. I say this because I struggled a lot throughout my high school years. I obsessed over my weight. I clung onto my high school boyfriend for everything, which allowed him to take advantage of me in every aspect. I had to call the cops on my dad because he was physically abusing my mom. I attempted suicide prior to my junior prom, but pretended it never happened. My parents separated around this time and went through a bitter divorce. My circle of friends weren't real friends; so I felt alone for the most part of my teenage years.
Although life gradually began to feel better and although I'm at a good place in my life right now, I still feel damaged, unappealing, and worthless. It may only come in waves, but I've accepted that depression doesn't fade. I deal with it everyday. Some days are better than others, of course. But there's nothing worse than being a successful 28 year old mother/wife/woman and feeling like that 16 year old girl...
@BetteringMyself89
i feel that way too. Struggle every now and then with depression. I have a loving man, a son and a good job and I still feel worthless and overwhelmed by daily life.
my inner child hasn
@Helenvd It's comforting knowing that I'm not alone either. My inner child silently struggles for the most part, but then it's like she can't contain it all and it becomes too loud for me to ignore. I went through a very dark depression through my early 20's too. So my mind likes to take trips to the past from time to time and it's enough to bring me down for a few days. My husband is very understanding because he struggles with anxiety. I wish I could leave the past in the past and fully be in the present. It's hard to be completely here, you know?
@BetteringMyself89 - Yes, it's very hard to stay in the present, when part of the past is locked within us, kicking and screaming or sometimes just being very still and very sad. This inner child description is beautiful because it is very accurate. I think you are right, in that it will always be with us in one form or another, but maybe, one day, maybe we can find a way to continue soothing that younger, injured fragment of ourselves. Thank you so much for sharing. I think you are from alone I this. I think, in fact, many people will benefit from reading your thoughts on this... so thank you for sharing with us <3
It'd be covered in blood, but not its blood. Someone else's blood.. It'd be rather small and petite, also short, like.. 154cm? It'd have beautiful and really, really long black hair and the most gorgeous yellow eyes. It's an introvert, really lazy and super smart, talented. Being so much talented and smart, it mastered everything it started and eventually get bored of it all. It lost interest in everything and decided never to leave its room. It spends most of its time asleep and only moves when something catches its interest.
It would be a person I always hung around even though I know they aren't good for me or, are taking advantage of my weakness but, I keep hanging out with them anyway because I am afraid that no one else will.
@AJayZa - Yes ): We seek what's familiar, even if it is bad fornus, like the company of our depression... Thanks for sharing <3
@wontwakewontsleep No problem! Thank you so much for your kind words.
I would tell it that I had given up to its face and would let it pull the trigger on me.
@Beownsiepsnossksbo - Often the depression is so bad, we just want it to be over with already, even if that means calling out depression out and telling it just follow through, and when our depression is bluffing or taunting us with the idea of death, it stings even more. Thank you for sharing such a powerful statement. I'm sure many feel this way.
My depression is a dark creature that changes shapes. It's always around, sometimes it appears to be really small like a little bird on my shoulder and sometimes, it's a huge lake like creature that drowns me. It whispers both sweet and dark words.
This person, perhaps a creature, would be very thin and spindly, and shadowy. They would be difficult to notice or make out, even in broad daylight, but you can always feel their presence.
If my depression was a person it would be a person with a black hood that was bigger than their head covering up their face. THis is because you cant see their emotions or what they are feeling like myself. You cant see what i am feeling as much I want you to see, The clothing that they would wear is full black and has no colour to it like me as well. You can't see any skin because its being covered up to hide the scars, hurt and pain as well. If my depression was a person this is what mine would look like. How about yours?
