Black Dogs - Biting Back At Depression

Search online for artists and depression or writers and depression and you'll come across dozens of articles about the subject. You can find analyses on the high suicide rates among writers, essays on what facing the creative void and interrogating reality can do to an artist, and what benefits this self-endangering activity can provide to society as a whole. There are forum discussions, tips and techniques, personal journeys and more. Using the search phrase “comics and writers” and you will find less analysis, but more autobiographical creations featuring depression. You don't need to travel far to find a creator dealing with depression in one form or other.

Depression can manifest in two ways; one is situational depression, brought on - you guessed it - by situations. It could be the loss of a loved one, a traumatic incident or a really stressful work environment - perhaps one with low income security, low societal value, bad occupational health and safety and long, lonely hours... Situational depression is the sort of depression that can blow over, you can pull yourself out of by your own boot straps (and hopefully the support of friends) and shouldn't last more than a few weeks.

Then there's clinical depression. This is the kind that sticks around, the boot straps don't do any good and it doesn't matter what you do, you've got no energy and it won't blow over. Clinical depression needs a more hands on approach and normally has several layers of care and recovery. This often involves anti-depressants, cognitive behaviour therapy, looking at diet, exercise and overcoming social isolation that often goes hand in hand with depression.

Given the situations we put ourselves in, I think many a creator can straddle the boundaries between situational and clinical depression. That's not to say that you have to be miserable all the time as a creator, but the statistics show quite simply that we are more likely to face depression.

That said, it's not all gloom and doom. This black dog may lurk around our campsite, but that doesn't mean we need to lie down and show him our throat. There are tools, tricks and supports that we can access to keep him at bay, or at least reduce the severity and duration of attacks. Here are some quick and dirty ideas – remember when your energy is low that doing any of them is better than doing nothing. Check out the websites at the end of the article for further information.

Exercise: 20 minutes a day can be as good as anti-depressants for some people, any kind of exercise will do. Regular cardiovascular exercise can also lower blood pressure and get your body out of stress holding habits.

Regular sleeping patterns: A tricky one, the regular exercise can help. Meditation, pleasant fragrances, or a glass of milk with honey can help get you to sleep. A small reward of some sort can help with waking at a regular time so that getting up can be pleasant rather than a time of dread.

Nutrition: Coke, Red, Pizza, Toast and Coffee are not the five food groups. Try to eat some fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Carrots are easy and won't drip on the drawing board or laptop. And when everything feels doomed and you're certain you're a talentless hack, pause and consider when did you last eat some decent food?

Water: Dehydration can make the world a miserable place and a glass of water can be a surprisingly effective pick me up. How many of us actually drink the 7 or so recommended glasses of water a day? Remember, the number of drinks you need can increase if you're taking medication or getting into caffeine.

Sunlight: Try grabbing some of that exercise during daylight hours outside.

Good touch: Massages, hugs, scalp rubs or facials. Be it a masseur, a friend, or by yourself. We are physical beings and good touch can contribute significantly to a happier mind.

Write tasks down: Write what you want to do, so you feel less scattered. Several small lists are better, and less overwhelming, than one big list. Tick things off when you complete tasks, ticking things releases serotonin! Write down what you do, so that you can recognise patterns and recognise all the stuff you achieve.

Say nice things to yourself: Fake it 'til you make it, our bodies believe what we say to ourselves, even if we feel like we're lying. So be bloody minded and keep saying positive things until they're true. Avoid saying self-destructive things to yourself, remember, our body believes what we say.

See a professional: Seeing a mental health professional (counsellors, psychologists, even some psychiatrists) can be very valuable. There's a lot of stigma around seeking professional help, so you can try thinking of it like a mental gym. You're going to improve your mental health, you don't have to be morbidly obese to go to gym. They can provide a valuable external perspective, reality checks and all sorts of different tools and approaches. Not all mental health professionals are made equal and there are some imperfect ones out there, but there are also plenty of great ones. Cheap or free counselling can be accessed for educational institutions, Lifeline (very handy as you can chat instantly at 3 in the morning), some workplaces have Employee Assistance Programs and Relationships Australia provides different services in different states and territories and may be able to provide assistance suitable for you http://www.relationships.com.au/what-we-do/services .

Seek out structures that work for you: It's hard when you're in the doldrums, but there are structures and strategies that can help you. It might take a while to find the right language, the right approach for you, you might have to hammer away at an approach for a while before it works, but it will be well worth it.

Seek out people: This can be very hard when bitten by the black dog, but get out to the creator meet-ups, have coffee with friends. Call it research if you have to, but go and interact.

Medication: For some, anti-depressants are an essential part of the recovery process but they should always be part of a broader mental health strategy. Medications can also include sleeping tablets to restore sleeping patterns (use with care and never long term). Sometimes antacids can be prescribed for a few months if your body is in a stress spiral and you're either starving with hunger or unable to eat.

Avoid Self-Medication: Alcohol and other drugs can provide temporary relief, but often they can deepen the underlying problems. If you're drinking, getting stoned or trashed because you need to - not because you want to - alarm bells should be ringing. If you can't manage your usage by yourself find some help.

If you feel suicidal: Please, make sure you talk to someone and actively take care of your mental health. The sad fact is that most people who commit suicide do so on an impulse, without planning, so find some help. Too many creators take their own lives. Call Lifeline if you have no idea where to turn, it's anonymous and their phone lines operate 24 hours a day.

Resources
There's a lot of info out there, here are just a few places to start.

http://www.beyondblue.org.au - an excellent start point. It contains a very well put together interactive checklist to see if you may be experiencing a depressive illness, fact sheets on depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder ,postnatal depression and information about Australian services and support available.

http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/ - information and lots of links to different self care approaches

Aussie Comics Creator Laura Seabrook's has also tackled depression in some of her comics and provides some other survival tips http://hunter.apana.org.au/~gallae/QueerStuff/comics/queerstuff/Depression/depression1.htm

Lifeline 13 11 14, a 24 hour telephone counselling – they can also help you find other mental health services. Check out http://www.lifeline.org.au/ for further info.

Any further thoughts, tips or links to handy resources? Please post them in the comments box below (Free registration required).

When Liz isn't writing comics she works in the community sector. In a past life she worked at a womens refuge where debriefing and taking care of your mental health were essential for survival. On the whole she's stark raving sane, although the black dog does chase her around the campsite semi-regularly and she should follow her own advice a little more often.