“He clings to me and is a beast at times, but then I learned to train him otherwise.”
Depression can be confusing to try and articulate, but it’s often described as feeling continuously ‘down’ or ‘having no energy’. But these are only two of the many symptoms of Depression, and these are merely the smoke to the fire. Although Depression affects people mentally, it is also painful to experience.
Depression is the mind perceiving the world as hostile, forcing us to see predicted situations with a pessimistic perspective. The brain tells us, ‘you will be rejected’, ‘you can’t do it,’ or ‘you’re not worth anything.’
What is the Black Dog named Depression?
There is a video that circulates the mental health sector, which brings light to Depression, more understanding of mental illness and provides the perfect metaphor for attempting to explain it.
The video ‘I had a black dog, his name was Depression’ describes how mental illness feels, works and impacts our lives and how we can relieve ourselves. The black dog represents Depression; throughout the video, we see how everything unfolds.
Please see the full video below and then the transcript:
The hidden messages from the video:
“I had a black dog. His name was depression.
Whenever the black dog made an appearance, I felt empty and life seemed to slow down.”
These lines talk about how Depression first affects someone; the initial feelings are emptiness and lack of energy. These are commonly the first symptoms; however, since these symptoms are not viewed as extreme, they often go unnoticed.
“He could surprise me with a visit for no reason or occasion.
The black dog made me look and feel older than my years.
When the rest of the world seemed to be enjoying life, I could only see it through the black dog.”
The verse is poignant, outlining how Depression makes a person see and act differently from those around them. Depression comes unexpectedly and usually at the worse of times.
“Activities that usually brought me pleasure, suddenly ceased to.
He liked to ruin my appetite.
He chewed up my memory and ability to concentrate.
Doing anything or going anywhere with the back dog required super human strength.
At social occasions, he would sniff out any confidence I had and chase it away.”
This mental illness works by eventually making some people unendurable of things they used to enjoy. It takes over all their mental control, making them see the bad in everything and taking away all the happiness and faith they have.
All motivation and fulfilment that people once had are replaced by depression.
“My biggest fear was being found out. I worried that people would judge me.
Because of the shame and stigma of the black dog. I was constantly worried that I would be found out. So I invested vast amounts of energy into covering him up. Keeping up an emotional lie is exhausting.
Black dog could make me think and say negative things.
He could make me irritable and difficult to be around.
He would take my love and bury my intimacy.”
People with depression are often ‘avoided’ and also unintentionally begin to avoid others, and that’s because they feel as though people don’t understand the illness. As people stay away from the unknown, people with depression, do feel like outsiders. But depression is simply poor mental well-being, and everyone can be helped.
“He loved nothing more than to wake me with highly repetitive and negative thinking. He also liked to remind me how exhausted I was going to be the next day.
Having a black dog in your life isn’t so much about feeling a bit down, sad or blue…at it’s worst it’s about being devoid of feeling altogether.
As I got older the black dog got bigger and he started hanging around all the time.
I’d chase him off with whatever I thought may send him running.
But more often than not he’d come out on top. Going down became easier than getting up again.”
Depression is repetitive and very quickly becomes a burden, affecting normal everyday things. It’s almost impossible to shrug off the feeling, and that’s why depression easily takes a hold of someone, changing their personality and outlook on life.
“So I became rather good at self-medication…which never really helped.
Eventually I felt totally isolated from everything and everyone.
The black dog had finally succeeded in hijacking my life. When you lose all joy in life, you can begin to question what the point of it is.
Thankfully this was the time that I sought professional help. This was my first step towards recovery and a major turning in my life.”
In the end, depression can manifest into suicidal thoughts as people look for a way to stop the pain. This is the crisis stage of depression, and if you notice these signs or someone admits these feelings, it’s important to follow ALGEE.
However, there is always an opportunity to seek out help, and this is where the character chooses the path of professional help, which is the beginning of the recovery path for people who are in a depression crisis.
“I learned that it doesn’t matter who you are, the black dog affects millions and millions of people. It is an equal opportunity mongrel.
I also learned that there was no silver bullet or magic pill. Medication can help some and others might need a different approach altogether.
I also learned that being emotionally genuine and authentic to those who are close to you, can be an absolute game changer.
I also learned that being emotionally genuine and authentic to those who are close to you, can be an absolute game changer.
Most importantly, I learn not to be afraid of the black dog and I taught him a few tricks of my own.
The more tired and stressed you are the louder he barks, so it’s important to learn how to quiet your mind.”
This is so vital to remember. Depression affects millions of people, and it should never be a taboo subject. Mental well-being can be improved not only through medication but by learning to control your emotions and talking to those closest to you.
This is where you can make the black dog scared of you, and that’s how you can chase it away. With relaxation, acceptance and perseverance, the black dog has always been under your control, don’t let the black dog make you think otherwise.
“It’s been clinically proven that regular exercise can be as effective for treating mild to moderate depression as antidepressants. So go for a walk or a run and leave the mutt behind.
Keep a mood journal, getting your thoughts on paper can be cathartic and often insightful. Also keep track of the things that you have to be grateful for.
The most important thing to remember is that no matter how bad it gets… if you take the right steps, talk to the right people, black dog days can and will pass.
I wouldn’t say that I’m grateful for the black dog but he has been an incredible teacher. He forced me to re-evaluate and simplify my life. I learned that rather than running away from my problems it’s better to embrace them.
The black dog may always be part of my life but he will never be the beast that he was. We have an understanding. I learned that through knowledge, patience, discipline and humor the worst black dog can be made to heal.
If you are in difficulty, never be afraid to ask for help. There is absolutely no shame in doing so. The only shame is missing out on life.”
Last and most importantly, you can do this. The black dog will feel like it’s following you, you may think that there is no way to escape him, but you always can, always have. Although depression symptoms may persist in the background, you can tame the animal and train him to keep it at bay.
Remember, you can learn to heal the black dog on your own, by exploring self-care and well-being, but there are also people that want to help you too.
Depression. Get Help. Be Helped.
