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‘Strong at the broken places’: Transforming Depression into Writing

Written by Ami Mattison on January 20, 2011 - 14 Comments
Inspiration, Writing

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places. ~ Ernest Hemingway

I know depression. A primary symptom of my Bipolar II Disorder, depression has at times severely limited my interest in and pursuit of creative projects. However, because I’ve dealt with depression throughout my creative career, I’ve learned concrete ways to cope with its effects by transforming what can be a liability into a creative impulse to write.

What is Depression?

Generally speaking, there are two different types of depression. There’s “the blues,” or situational depression which consists of temporary feelings of sadness triggered by unhappy events or stressful situations.

And then there’s clinical depression, which is a mental disorder that requires medical intervention and psychiatric treatment. Clinical depression is characterized by extreme feelings of sadness, a sense of hopelessness, a lack of interest, and decreased energy, which affect one’s abilities to carry out usual tasks and activities of daily living.

A Different Definition

But whether it’s situational or clinical in nature, depression is a kind of disempowerment that results in a loss of a positive sense of self.

We might define depression, then, as a loss of the profound connection with one’s own personal power to affect change in one’s life.

Not being able to access a positive sense of self and to affect change in one’s life would make anyone extremely sad. And it seems only natural that this extreme sadness and pain would result in feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.

And significantly, these feelings in turn provoke a loss of faith in one’s self and in the living forces that surround and sustain us.

So, how can creativity and writing, in particular, transform this disconnection from personal power and from a positive sense of self? How can it restore our faith?

Why Writing?

There are several reasons why I recommend writing as a great way to transform depression into creativity.

First, writing materials are cheap. All you really need is a pencil or pen and some paper. But if you want a free word processor, check out Google Docs or Writer which comes with Open Office Suite.

Also, writing can be done anywhere and at anytime. There’s no huge preparation required for writing. You can start anytime, write for as long as you want, and stop at any moment in the process.

Writing is easy, and when you’re depressed, you need something relatively easy to do. So, if you don’t already write, then consider trying your hand at it.

Coping Through Creative Writing

First, if you’re dealing with clinical depression, it’s really important that you seek professional help. I did, and I can tell you from experience that these suggestions will provide little benefit if you’re not treating your clinical depression.

Also, in order to feel better, we must take care of our basic physical needs. Certainly, taking care of ourselves is particularly difficult when we’re depressed, but give it a try and see if you feel better.

If you’re taking care of your basic physical needs and if you’re experiencing situational depression or are being treated for clinical depression, then these ideas, which I use to deal with depression, might help you as well:

Create a journal. A journal is a fantastic and safe way to explore one’s innermost thoughts and feelings about the sadness, hopelessness and other extreme emotions that coincide with depression. I write in my journal every day. It’s my primary way of coping with depression and anxiety, but it’s also fun for me. If you don’t already keep a journal, then try starting one. You might be surprised at how useful it can become.
Write your story. Everyone has a story. You may not know what your story is yet. But give it some thought. What experiences have made you who you are today? What experiences have most profoundly affected you?
Write a poem. You don’t have to call yourself a poet to write poetry. I teach 2nd and 3rd graders how to write poetry, and basically it’s all about tapping into your imagination. If you’re worried about writing bad poetry, then you can check out this article on how to buff up your skills.
Write about your dreams. You can write about your literal dreams at night, which I’ve found useful when I’m under duress. But also, consider your dreams for your future. If there were no limits on what you could do with your life, what would be your goals and pursuits? Or try daydreaming about your perfect day. What would an absolutely perfect day look like for you?
Write about what makes you happy. Focusing on what makes us happy really does help to make us feel less depressed. Sure, you’ve heard all about positive thinking. And when you’re depressed it’s really hard to think positively. Its uses seem so limited. But remember there’s no quick fix to feeling better. It all comes in small steps. So, try writing about happiness.

If none of these exercises appeal to you, then be creative and experiment with your own writing projects. For instance, write a short story, write a non-fiction essay, or start a blog.

Writing for Empowerment

The point of all these exercises is to empower you to speak your own truths and experiences, whatever they may be.

Once we begin to write about and also share our experiences with others, then we empower ourselves to stand in those experiences and truths, to be who we are, without apology.

Also, ignorance about depression and prejudice against those who suffer from it abound in culture, and you’ve probably come across those who simply “don’t get it.” Writing your experiences and truths gives you a way to validate yourself and your life, regardless of those who might disregard your pain.

Keeping the Faith

Empowering ourselves through writing and creativity can become one way of finding hope when there seems to be none. It can help ease the pain when there seems no escape from it. And it can restore our faith in ourselves and in the creative universe. Perhaps, most importantly, it can help us to connect to our ability to affect change in our own lives.

So, write about your depression, your pain, your experiences and your personal truths and see if it helps you to cope and to transform your pain and depression into an empowered sense of self.