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Personify Your Depression: If my depression were a person... [fill in the blank]

wontwakewontsleep September 27th, 2017
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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?

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pinklampbroken April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person they would be there 24/7 and I would still be alone and lonely.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@pinklampbroken - Yes... even though it can be a sort of constant company, we still feel completely lonely and alone. Thanks for sharing

Turtlegirl0012 April 24th, 2018
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It would be a weird jelly like thing under my feet, slowly sinking me in when Im not standing so strongly

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@Turtlegirl0012 - I like the jelly analogy, sinking us in a sticky goo. Thanks

blissedNblessed April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person:

she would be a small child with arms outstreched - begging someone to hold her, and crying out, " hold me, see me, help me".

But her hands and cries would go un-noticed as both strangers and loved ones walked by.

Her hair would blow cold in the wind whipping and stinging her cheeks.

She would be barefoot, cowering on top of a mountain looking down, wanting to both jump and run back.

The rocks and gravel of this great mountain would dig into her soles of her feet and toes , bringing forth buds of crimsion blood that blossomed to the surface.

The only flowers she would ever see.

The world around her would be dark, both day and night.

Her tears would run down her face in infinity as they stained her face over the agless years.

And when the pain would get too deep, she would reach to me with hallowed eyes.

Out of my own pain, I would pick her up...and she would never let me go...

and I would sink into the depths of her world.

And we would carve out our world together in darkness.

Magicalbored1237 April 26th, 2018
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@blissedNblessed great description!

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@blissedNblessed - This was truly beautiful and raw, it reads like a piece of art while still being heartfelt and honest and true. I truly relate with this description of depression, the feeling of a neglected inner child who at times thrashes and other times becomes almost numb; of suffering in plain sight and no one noticing or caring. Thanks for sharing this with us.

goodPlane376 April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person it would follow me around and tell me that I'll never amount to anything no matter how hard I try

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@goodPlane376 - Yes ): Depression will do anything it can to keep us depressed, like constantly reminding us we will amount to nothing until we start to believe it.

Lychee97812 April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person it would be a better version of me. Perfect. Beautiful. Likeable. It taunts me, it makes me feel like Im sinking like no one can save me but myself but my hands are tied. I just wanna be happy. I wanna smile with meaning. Not to cover hurt.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@Lychee97812 - I like this perspective of Depression taunting us by resembling who it maybe prevents us from being ourselves. ): Your description was really honest and beautiful... Thanks for sharing.

DepressedTammy April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person I would tell it to go away and leave me alone.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@DepressedTammy - Me too.

secretStrawberries8593 April 24th, 2018
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If my depression very to be a person, it would be kind of conservative. They would keep themself content and then out of nowhere just explode. They would come out of nowhere and scare you at the moment you'd least expect it. And then they'd walk away and leave you alone again, and then start the whole proccess over again.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@secretStrawberries8593 - Yes, it's very much like a cycle sometimes ): on the one hand being somewhat subdued but knowing that at any moment a depressive episode might wreak havoc on us. It's like we are looking over our shoulders for our depression, even when it feels like we're coping well. Thanks for sharing. <3

indigoJet762 April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person, I would punch it in the face. Just right in the nose. So many times. And I guess it would get up and give me such sad eyes that the guilt would tear me apart.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@indigoJet762 - You're definitely not alone with this. ): I might also punch depression right in the face. The idea of being tricked back into it is truly scary but a real concern. Thanks for posting <3

lrene April 24th, 2018
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If depression were a person, I would honestly punch them in the face, and then strangle them to death!! Ok no 😶 I would just refuse to be near them.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@lrene - Yes! I would also like to punch it in the face, but probably just not being around it would be healthier for us, good point!

Gigglesxoxo April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person...it would be drowning me with negative thoughts till no end.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@Gigglesxoxo - Yes, too many negative thoughts to breathe through sometimes. ): Thanks <3

llychee April 24th, 2018
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it would be best friends with my anxiety.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@llychee - Absolutely, my depression and anxiety go hand-in-hand too. Sometimes I think they gang up on me and sometimes I think my depression bullies my anxiety too. It's complicated in our heads sometimes! Thanks for sharing this <3

ZebraGirl13 April 24th, 2018
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If my depression were a person, it would be the warm body in my cold bed that begs me to stay asleep instead of starting another day.

"Why bother? It's pointless. Nothing you do matters and you will never be good enough. Why put yourself out there? Why spend the energy and suffer through the drudgery for nothing? Stay here, where it's dark and familiar and safe."

Sorry, Depression. Someone's got to pay the bills. And while I'm at work, how about doing some dishes once in a while? Freakin' freeloader.

greenscenes April 25th, 2018
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@ZebraGirl13 Уou souиd doши. Шaииa cнaт aвouт iт? I наve depressioи тoo.

ZebraGirl13 April 25th, 2018
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@greenscenes

That's very kind, thank you... Unfortunately I'm at work and don't have enough time to chat tonight. I'll be okay, there's just a lot going on in my head right now.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@ZebraGirl13 - Hah ): Yeah, depression is a freeloader. Good on you for trying so valiantly to do anything with depression clinging and taunting. It is very difficult to leave it's familiar side but sometimes we surprise ourselves. Thanks for sharing this

Kangaroo04609 April 24th, 2018
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If my depression was a person,it would be like that creepy guy that tries to lure kids into a car to kidnap them. My depression would be the person trying to luring me away from life, from friends, from work, from family, from sunlight, from laughter, and from happiness.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 1st, 2018
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@Kangaroo04609 - Scary image but very accurate. It's definitely like a human oredator, luring us away from all that might bring us some peace or joy. ): Thanks for the post <3

limeMoon7691 April 25th, 2018
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if my depression was a person, it would be assertive. always there, in the back of my mind, always standing right behind me. checking a watch. "what are you doing right now? why haven't you done this yet? at this rate, you'll never amount to anything. hiding from me is only setting you back further."

it taps its foot impatiently. a reminder that everything i'm doing isn't what i should be doing, so it doesn't mean anything, so i don't mean anything. that there is a schedule to life, and if everything isn't done on time, complete and formatted and proofread and submitted for review, i won't pass, i don't deserve to keep trying, there will not be an extension on this assignment.

it is cold and calculating. it knows how to isolate you; it blends in with the warmer parts of your day and reminds you that you shouldn't be talking to people, you shouldn't be slacking off and having fun, you have a project to do. you shouldn't eat until you've accomplished something significant to the human race.

you fight back, but never in the right ways. you submit work a day late. you throw yourself into hobbies. you sleep because it blocks out the ticking of its wristwatch, and it watches, unimpressed, from your bedside, knowing that you are exhausted, but you can't sleep forever. you smile like there's no one standing behind you, pushing down on your shoulders, passively reminding you that it's rude to keep the soil waiting.

you don't even have any deadlines coming up, and that's probably the worst thing.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 14th, 2018
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@limeMoon7691 - Yes ): In many ways our depression puts an inhuman amount of pressure on us and then makes us feel bad for not living up to its unattainable idea of perfection, and it can be very manipulative about it as well. <3 Thanks for sharing

ness1698 April 25th, 2018
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If my depression were a person, it would be a ghost that haunts me every night. My dark thoughts and worries are always more prominent in the night time, when I get home from work and before going to bed.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 16th, 2018
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@ness1698 - Yes ): It is like a ghost. My dark thoughts are stronger at night too, like the depression builds strength during the day.

EarlyOnion April 25th, 2018
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If my depression were a person, I'd lock it up in a Saratoga-grade trunk, throw the key away, and stash the trunk five levels underground. Oh wait, I already did that, but there are still remnants. It sure knows how to rub off on a person.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 16th, 2018
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@EarlyOnion - It definitely feels like no matter how we handle it, some form or remnant of the depression is always with us, even on "good" days I still feel it, like a whisper or a clingy slime. Thanks for sharing with us.

ThreeMink7 April 25th, 2018
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If my depression were a person I would pity them. Always wanting attention and never getting it from me. They were always that rude friend that you stay friends with becuase they have no one else. The one who you finally cut ties with and it feels great not having them around. They meant well and you've been with them for so long but it wasn't worth it.

I'm gonna miss them but I'm glad they're gone.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 16th, 2018
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@ThreeMink7 - I like this perspective. Depression can raise so many feelings and reactions from us, and feeling bad for our depression is definitely in there. Saying goodbye and taking steps away from it can be very difficult, we may even feel guilty for not having the depression so close to us, but ultimately we have to do what's best for us. It is like a toxic person. Thanks for sharing this with us

greenscenes April 25th, 2018
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If му deргеssioи шеге а регsои iт'd ве Еdgаг Аllеи ое peгнарs.

wontwakewontsleep OP May 16th, 2018
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@greenscenes - Classic and accurate

SpyderPig April 25th, 2018
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If my depression were a person, they would be surrounding me all day everyday, whispering horrid things in my ear. And when I'm at my lowest, they'd offer my the razor smiling and winking, egging me to do it