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

aidjm
Community Member

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?

118 Replies 118

Odin's Beard! That is just perfect! Golem's second self was another fantastic portrayal

Stork
Community Member

a 2 metre black scorpion attached to my back, one that scares everyone away and makes sure that no-one ever gets close.

except someone did, and she is kind and gentle, caring and warm-hearted, she is quiet and to be honest she is the most wonderful person that God ever breathed life into.  and I'm not to have contact with her for 6 months in a last ditch effort to save my marriage.

which hurts like hell.

 

Zeal
Community Member

Perhaps depression can morph into different creatures or entities. It's complex. Perhaps there is no tangible structure to it. Sorry if this sounds abstract and dramatic guys...after all, it is almost 1 a.m.!

 

geoff
Champion Alumni
dear All, well a bit of humour, because my electricity bill that always haunts me and never stops coming and always increasing the pressure. Geoff.

Human.

Moot
Community Member

 My poem about depression.. A nameless creature - The Dreaded Dread

It is the dreaded dread.

Darkened tendrils looming near,

Slowly creeping in my head.

Smothering the shards of light

That had begun to shun the fear.

The burden of my living.

It dims all hope, a cloud of lead;

Heavy, weighted, closing in.

It comes, the dreaded dread.

TheBear
Community Member
Whilst my nickname is Bear, it feels that my depression is a black bear twice as large as me. Its claws are always dug in, but when it clenches its jaw around my throat.... That's when things get really bad. I can get loose from the jaws, but those claws. They are always there.

blankmind
Community Member
Mine, I don't have a name for, all I can do is describe my darkness. It is a human type of creature, it has matt black blank eyes, greyish skin, a mouth full of pointed sharp teeth with a wide opening jaw and mouth that looks like Venom's (eVil spiderman) with stretched / torn cheeks that show you the teeth inside. It has black long hair that is all over the place. It is thin and bony but has muscles to hold you down while it screams at you with all of it's might that you should just give up and disappear. It's hands are eVilish bony fingers with long claws built for digging into you to drag you back to your dark place at any moment. It lurks in the shadows with only it's eyes able to be seen and an eVil laugh as if to say "I'm always here, I'm not going away, I'm watching you". It's strange though because, while I see this as my depression I also see it as a part of me, something I crave, something I need, something that makes me feel secure, almost a seriously twisted safe place?

tryintogetthru
Community Member
I am not the sufferer, but my wife pointed out that Mr. Babadook from the movie The Babadook was a metaphor for depression. And that it was similar to her experience with it. I also recognized myself in the character of the child who does not understand what he is dealing with, but tries to help fight against it (feebly). 

AshleighGee
Community Member
I first imagined my creature to be this medium sized monster. It wasn't mean but it just wanted attention without seeming like it needed it. I feel like when it first meant me it meant harm but then went away and come back better but it became worse the more I got to know it. Its like a shy and bitter creature that longs for attention living in a dark cave all alone.