topic If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be? in Depression

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

aidjm — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 07:17:23 GMT

I started thinking about this a few weeks back, and I wanted to get some other people's insights. I've done a bit of writing just for something to do, and I was thinking about writing a story about a person whose depression manifests itself as a physical being.

For me, I kind of pictured it as a big black lizard-thing that sits on my shoulders and digs in with its claws, and doesn't want to let go.

What about you guys?

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Aminta — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 08:18:24 GMT

Interesting. Yep I can picture it as a lizard with claws like you described. I'd say some sort of demon like creature, a devil on the shoulder. It's horrible and ugly.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Neil_1 — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 08:42:23 GMT

Hi there AIDJM (or I might call you DJ for short) 🙂

Awesome concept for a thread.

Big black lizard-thing with big claws. Yep, I can definitely dig that - can even see it.

I have a tattoo (actually, I have a number of tattoos), but this one that I'm going to describe is on my left forearm.

It starts on the back of my left palm with a chain (that appears to be breaking), and the chain wraps around under my wrist, loops back over the forearm and finishes on the inner (under side) of my left forearm.

The chain disappears into a kennel. Or what I call, the Kennel From Hell. The doorway of the kennel is blacked out and in the middle of the black are two RED evil eyes, looking back out.

This is my tattoo tribute to my fight with depression. What's inside the kennel?? Well, judging from the fiery red eyes and the evil looking kennel that it sits in, it's something hideous.

I'm not quite sure what it is - but if pushed, I would say it's similar to one of those evil looking dogs that were on the Ghostbusters movie. Perhaps.

Great thread though.

Neil

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Girl_Anachronism — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 09:11:59 GMT

A squid. A big black squid, surrounded by clouds of shadows which consume all that it touches and whose tendrils wrap around every part of me.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

nursepiggy — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 10:03:50 GMT

I would imagine myself to be a slug.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Bluedaze — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 07:47:12 GMT

I reckon it would simply be a tiny beige /skin colored bug or mite sitting on your .. yes neck.

Harmless minding its own business, blending in, invisible, unnoticed.

Then it's multiplying, massively multiplying, over the years, all grown all over you.

You too have become beige, invisible.

Personalty I would love to be invisible, would be a novelty, wouldn't have to face the world. Awesome.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

BigBunny — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:37:57 GMT

that's easy, from 'The Lord of the Rings' & 'The Hobbit', Gollum/Smeagol. if you've seen the 2nd film 'The Two Towers' his suffering captures depression well. although I'm not obsessed with a golden ring... precioussss >=;)

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Chibam — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 10:11:27 GMT

I think it'd be best likened to Monstro the whale from Pinnochio. Does anybody remember those internal scenes where we see that he is really just this big empty void with nothing (except Jepetto's boat) inside?

My depression I guess could be defined much in similar terms. Essentially just a state of absolute emptiness.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Asche — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 10:46:10 GMT

It is my shadow. It dogs me with every step, clinging ceaselessly to my heels, weighing each foot with guilt and regret.

It is a child's shadow. The ghost of a child, made material, physical. Myself, at 8, when I fell into its grasp for the first time. A symbol of everything lost and the future forsaken in my grief. It smiles mockingly, knowing full well that I cannot. It's lips crack open, revealing a blistered throat clogged with ash.

A dark hand reaches up to grasp mine, its skin littered in thorns. Its' fingers are tipped with talons. They glisten wetly for my benefit; it knows that I cannot appreciate their true malefic horror in total darkness.

But beneath it all, it is hollow. It is fragile. Its' skin is made of porcelain, cracked and chipped away in places so you can just peer into the chasm within.

It is cold.

It is lonely.

It was me.

Is me.

And it may yet be.

But he is not all of me. He and I are inseparable, yes. I can remove him no more than I can cut my shadow. He defined, defines, will define so much of who I was, am and will be. So much of what I have done, do, and will do.

But I am a child no longer. My legs are longer and my arms, stronger. He may kick, scream and wail, but I will drag him forward, carrying him if I must. He may be heavy, he may weigh me down. But he will stop me no more.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

BigBunny — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:34:06 GMT

Winston Churchill called it the Black Dog. a Welsh band called The Manic Street Preachers have a song called 'Black Dog On My Shoulder' and one of the lyrics is "there's a black dog on my shoulder again, licking my neck and saying it's my friend".

for everyone battling depression, try not to let the black dog pull you by it's leash. get help by getting referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist and more than likely medication can help. it doesn't get rid of the depression but can keep the black dog at a distance. exercise is also very important >=:)

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

geoff — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:47:31 GMT

dear Aidjm, good idea and all have been very interesting, but I do like Neil's tattoo.

I tend to agree with GA as I was going to say an enormous octopus with tentacles surrounding every movement you make, or perhaps the revolting Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars. Geoff.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

--Danny-- — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 12:16:15 GMT

Depression to me is like a monkey sitting on my shoulders that I just can't shake off..like a squeezing, suffocating feeling....

Danny

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Vegetarian Marshmallow — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 13:46:14 GMT

I'll go for a jewel wasp. It stings a cockroach in a particular part of its brain, turning it into a docile zombie. The wasp then grabs the cockroach by its antenna and leads it like a dog on a leash to its doom, with no opposition from the cockroach. It leads the cockroack its burrow, lays its egg on the cockroach, closes the burrow and then goes off and plays backgammon. The cockroach just hangs out there in the dark hole, in its zombified state, until the wasp larva hatches and eats it alive over the course of about a week.

A similar thread from a while ago:

http://www.beyondblue.org.au/connect-with-others/online-forums/depression/is-your-beast-male-female-both-or-neutral-and-why-

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

BigBunny — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:56:54 GMT

great Odin's raven! o_O I think I've seen that wasp on tv, only it didn't lay it's eggs on a cockroach but a poor caterpillar 😞

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Vegetarian Marshmallow — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:24:12 GMT

I think that's a different one. I think there are a few parasitoidal wasps out there. Jewel wasps specifically go after this one type of cockroach.

I know Ichnuemon wasps go after caterpillar larvae. I remember those ones because I know they contributed to weakening Charles Darwin's belief in the existence of God - he thought God could never have created a creature whose entirely ordinary everyday way of reproducing itself was so absolutely evil.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

BigBunny — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:29:57 GMT

Hi Odin's Beard, did you get my reference to Ron Burgundy in Anchorman? as soon as I saw your name, it popped in my head. "by the beard of Zeus!" "great Odin's raven!" >=:) that film has to be in my top 5 comedies.

gosh, there must be a few wasps that do that, but I don't like cockroaches, at least the house ones that come out in summer are on my 'must destroy' list. I love your avatar by the way, is that kitten really wearing that?

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Vegetarian Marshmallow — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:28:57 GMT

Nah, I never got that into Anchorman. My friends all seem to think it's great, but I thought it was just alright. I'm not great at remembering quotes even from films that I loved, anyway.

Yeah, looks like it's wearing it. I mean, it doesn't seem to be photoshopped, if that's what you mean. It's not my cat, I just took it from the internet. I actually first saw this picture about 5 years ago, and recently specifically looked for it because of how much of an impact its particular cuteness had on me 😛

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Doolhof — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 10:15:47 GMT

My depression would manifest itself like a dragon, buried deep inside of me, then emerging from my back, spreading its wings and encompassing me with it's dark power of negativeness.

On really bad days the dragon would raise its head, show it's huge teeth and rip into anyone who tried to come near to help me. Now and then flashes of red hot flames would dart from it's mouth, burning up anything that represented peace, contentment and comfort.

On days when I thought I might have the dragon under control, or I believed it was quietly sleeping, the dragon would send out a sharply clawed foot and drag me back with in its grasp.

To make peace with my dragon is my dream.

From Dools.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

Katatonic — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:35:11 GMT

Hi aidjm

I actually found a familiarity with the context of your post as well as 1 of intrigue on how ppl answered. For me from basically childhood of 4 or so & having my late sister being 11yrs older, we spent many nights trying to scare the heck out of each other lol. I always was a vampire even before I knew or understood what a vampire was. Its carried through well into my adulthood but more amazing is how as I made friends etc & never of course telling them what I felt I was, would have them laugh & comment on i appeared "vampire",like. I think it's because I love the night the dark the silence whereas days are bright & loud & what appears to me as other ppl being bright,happy & cheerful etc. As a vampire on the darker side to my life i feel i can simply envelope myself with my bat like wings or cape & hide safe & secure. Strange but true.

If your depression were a physical creature, what would it be?

petal_dew — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 17:10:41 GMT

Mine would be like a mosquito. You never really notice it till after you have been bitten. It violates you gets inside you and feeds off you draining me of motivation energy happiness and the will to keep going forward.

Yet has been a constant presents for so long. You can swat it away cover it in chemicals even change location but it will keep coming at you just when you think you have control.