How to Write Depression and Depressed Characters

Depression is generally invisible. It also doesn’t just happen overnight, most of the time. It usually takes years of build up. Outwardly, someone may be functioning very well, but inwardly, they are getting more and more tired and weighed down and hopeless. They usually don’t understand why, and they usually don’t think “I must be depressed”, and they very rarely go get help. In fact, they may even be thinking “I just don’t sleep like I used to. I just don’t have energy anymore. It must be all this stress, or my kids keeping me up, or I’m just getting older and things are changing. I just need to get my crap together and do better.” so they eat better, go to the gym, adjust their sleep schedule, or try to power through it all as they maintain the same patterns and habits.
So, if you’re an author trying to write a character who is depressed for reasons other than a crazy dragon burning down their village and killing all their family, how do you write what’s invisible?
Don’t immediately jump to making your character want to commit suicide! While suicidal thoughts are a sign of depression, it’s not the only sign.​

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There are nine signs of depression, and for a doctor to diagnose you or me with depression, there must be 5 of those 9 signs that need to have been present for at least a couple of weeks. I use these to write depression in one of my characters.

1. Persistently feeling down, low in mood, or hopeless
2. Little or no interest or pleasure in doing things
3. Disturbed sleep - too much, or too little
4. Changes in appetite or weight - eating more or less than usual, maybe even self medicating with food, alcohol, starvation, or other substances
5. Fatigue and loss of energy - even every day tasks or fun things might be exhausting
6. Agitation or slowing of movements
7. Poor Concentration or indecisiveness - even little every day decisions might be hard to make
8. Feeling of worthlessness or excessive guilt, obsessing about things you normally wouldn’t make a big deal about.
9. Suicidal thoughts or urges

Now, like I said, don’t be a slacker and immediately make your character want to take a quick trip off a bridge, AND don’t make your character have all the symptoms. Depression is a complex thing happening to a unique person, taking weeks or years to break them down, and it should be respected as such, even in our writing and storytelling.

When writing a depressed character, take a step back and look at the events that have made them depressed over a period of time. 

• What has happened in their life that started this spiral? Abuse, loss, medication, conflict, age, and chronic stress can all play a part. It doesn’t have to be a single event.
• What 5 symptoms would they present as a result? 
• How do those symptoms specifically affect their daily life? Remember, they very likely don’t recognize these symptoms as seriously affecting them. It just needs to be present enough that the reader starts doing the math and realize the character is struggling at a deeper level than what the plot suggests.
• How do they function so they don’t look like they are depressed to everyone else? Don’t make them smile all the time or dress like Barbie to “not look depressed”. Be creative! What makes them seem normal and not struggling to their friends, family, and coworkers?
• What is their breaking point to where they go to seek help or someone intervenes?
• Who is going to help them on the road to getting better? No one can “cure” their depression by themselves in isolation! They MUST connect with other fellow humans to start healing.

Remember, depression takes time to build up, and it takes time to break down. It wasn’t created overnight, and it won’t be cured overnight either. So, don’t throw a “cure” at your character and immediately make them better by the end of the story. They should absolutely be on the road to getting better by the end of the story, but there is no quick cure to depression. Even if all of their problems were to fade away and all their dead loved ones were to resurrect and be in perfect health, they would still have to work to heal their brain from the damage that depression has caused. Even the Bible says at the end of all things when God creates the new heaven and new earth He will still have to wipe some tears away (Revelation 21:4). Yes, there won’t always be crying or mourning or pain. Those will go away. They won’t last… just like depression doesn’t last forever, especially once we get help.

September is Suicide Awareness Month. September 10th is Suicide Prevention Day. If you would like to quietly bring awareness to this growing issue in our society, and lovingly remind people that there is a better way to overcome their struggles and mental health without judgment, then there are tons of ways to share hope. I will link a few items below using my Amazon Affiliate Link. So, if you click on the images and purchase any of the items below, you will be helping the artists/authors who created it AND help me pay a few bills at the same time. ☻
There are also some great books that I highly recommend reading to learn more about depression, how it affects the brain, and how to start healing from it - whether you think you are depressed or not, I recommend reading (or listening!) to these books. They are also Amazon Affiliate links.

If you are someone who struggles with depression, know that you are not alone. You are loved. You matter. You are precious. There is hope. There is help. You were never made to do this alone. Please talk to someone who will listen and help. ♥

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Suicide Awareness & Prevention

Books I Recommend You Read or Listen To!

Many of us struggle with anxiety, loneliness, and feelings of inadequacy. We know that God created us in his image, but how can we be loving when we feel burned out? How can we be free when we struggle with addiction? Will we ever enjoy the complete healing God promises?

We all want to be more at peace, to be happier and healthier, but we often don't know how to go about it. Everything we try seems to fall short of true change. Dr. Caroline Leaf knows that we cannot change anything until we change our thinking. ​

Toxic thoughts, depression, anxiety -- our mental mess is frequently aggravated by a chaotic world and sustained by an inability to manage our runaway thoughts. But we shouldn't settle into this mental mess as if it's just our new normal. There's hope and help available to us -- and the road to healthier thoughts and peak happiness may actually be shorter than you think.

What transforms this book from words on a page to effective daily practices are the ten guideposts to wholehearted living. The guideposts not only help us understand the practices that will allow us to change our lives and families, they also walk us through the unattainable and sabotaging expectations that get in the way.

Brown explains how vulnerability is both the core of difficult emotions like fear, grief, and disappointment, and the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, empathy, innovation, and creativity. She writes: “When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.” ​

Amy Tran, creator of Doodledwellness on Instagram, uses cute doodles to help you take control of your thoughts and emotions with psychology-based coping skills. Sometimes brain science and psychology can be hard to understand and difficult to navigate when building a safe space in your mind. Unlike other books about mental health, this book simplifies complex content by providing it in easily understood formats.