Depression is a normal part of life that can torment us at any time. From my experiences, depression is something that we are even more prone to as writers. Why? Because creative writing is very much an isolated, arduous personal venture. So much time spent in solitude, often with little reward, can be harmful to our mental health.<\/p>\n
Here is how you can cope with depression as a writer, and hopefully have a better sense of mental wellness overall:<\/p>\n
When I say\u00a0writers\u2019 groups,<\/em>\u00a0I mean any kind of writing group: online writing groups, creative writing classes or sessions, writing support groups, and so on. The aim is to find other writers so that you feel less alone. You can find like-minded people who have walked the same (or a similar) creative path.<\/p>\n Just knowing that someone has been through similar things can ignite trust in the journey and keep us going through hard times. As I say, many writers will probably have their own experiences with depression (whether or not it was a\u00a0result\u00a0<\/em>of the writing lifestyle). In a group, you can find comfort in sharing your experiences with other writers who get it.<\/p>\n As writers, we can easily get lost in our projects, to the point where we forget to eat, drink, or sleep. We think this is justified, but it really isn\u2019t. We need to take care of our health first and foremost, as that is the only way we can produce our best work. Mental wellness should be our priority, so taking much-needed breaks is non-negotiable.<\/p>\n Don’t burn out! Take breaks:<\/strong><\/p>\n It can become easy to drop a project when you feel low. Allowing yourself set, small increments of\u00a0time to write<\/a>\u00a0ensures that you don\u2019t waste time by not writing, while avoiding overwhelming yourself during a difficult time.<\/p>\n Not everyone will agree, but I think that my writing saved me during my depression. Even though at times I believed my writing and lack of success led to the depression, I still wrote. And by continuing to write, I eventually got myself out of the depression. I think I did it by channeling those serious, scary, isolating, and dark thoughts and feelings into my art, where appropriate.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get me wrong, I\u2019m not saying depression is\u00a0good\u00a0<\/em>for art. I\u2019m not saying being low in this way is \u201cOK<\/em>\u201d because at least you can write about it. But what I do believe is that depression, as a diagnosed mental illness, is long-lasting. And so, I don\u2019t think you, as a writer who perhaps makes a living this way, can just stop writing while depressed. Instead, you can take whatever is churning inside of you and put it on paper.<\/p>\n You can even work through some tough emotions and beliefs by doing this. Many CBT therapists will suggest negative-thought-challenging exercises to their patients. So, writing about how you feel can only be positive. Does it need to be published afterward? No. Does it need to be shared in any form? Not unless you truly want to. This is for\u00a0you<\/em>.<\/p>\n Most writers will face a mountain of criticism, rejection, and self-doubt when sharing their work with the world. It\u2019s very hard to have your artwork, perhaps your life\u2019s work, torn apart by strangers. However, it is unavoidable if you want to be a professional writer of any kind.<\/p>\n So, how do we get past this? We share our work! There\u2019s no other way. The more you write and share your work, receiving criticism and reviews, the more comfortable you will become. It will be hard at first, but this is the only way to\u00a0harden your skin<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you are already depressed, then sharing your work will be tough. Hearing criticism whilst you\u2019re vulnerable will feel even worse. This is why I urge you, when you feel that you are in a particularly tough time in your life, to share your work only with\u00a0trusted\u00a0<\/em>people. This way, you\u2019re still working and putting it out there, but with less potential for mental harm.<\/p>\nTake Breaks<\/h2>\n
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Harness the Depression<\/h2>\n
Taking Criticism about Creative Writing<\/h2>\n