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Klaustasya
Oct '19

So recently i started dealing with depression again, a big sense of void and nothing to do or power to do anything. Of course this has caused my art-block to become even bigger, to the point where i'm scared to touch the paper cause if i do i will start feeling hopeless again (yay!).
Asking this to everyone who suffer from depression: how's your relationship with art and writing when you're dealing with any kind of mood disorder and how does it affect your creations?

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    Oct '19

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    Jul '20
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DualDragonsMaster of Yeet
Oct '19

I did suffer from this a small period of time. Though this was before joining tapas.

I had depression and didn't feel like making episodes at all. My comic on webtoon didn't do well either at the time being.
In fact, the depression was affecting me in ways that i went on a hiatus for a month simply because i had no motivation.

So yeah, depression does affect my motivation for writing and drawing. Anyways, i hope you'll overcome your depression soon!

sadghost
Oct '19

I've merged with my depression. Now we are one being, like venom.

therealbereth
Oct '19

I'm sorry you have to deal with this (again). I periodically fall back into old habits that my depression forced on me, but it has gotten better with the years. I've been living on and off with knowing about it for a good ten years now, after all, whereas I'm pretty sure it all started when I still was a child. So it's a chronic thing that sparks from time to time when situational stressors are added to my life.

That means I often struggle for weeks or months to write anything. So I know this feeling of hopelessness (add unrest to it because not writing just irritates me). I sadly can't offer you any great tactics, but I wrote a piece on my (half-dormant) tumblr dubbed "Writing with Depression" back in July – maybe you can take away a thing or two from my path? I tried to offer ways to deal further down the post, as well.

Anyway, maybe it helps you somehow:


I can only say: be kind to yourself! I know it feels wrong not to write when it's something that helps you keep your mind together, but stressing over it just adds to the blockade that's keeping you from writing already.

CodeMonkeyArts
Oct '19

Essentially with my depression, I don't feel like doing anything. I don't feel like writing, nor do I feel like drawing. The reason is that my head feels so heavy and all of my thoughts and creativity is being sucked into a black hole of nothingness. Also, since I work full time and deal with...people...I am exhausted at the end of the day trying so hard to pretend that I am a still a competent code monkey while paranoid that everyone is going to think I am a fraud (thanks imposter syndrome, you freaking bastard).

Depression is a heavy beast of burden. I am on meds but I haven't done anything to really better my emotional state when I do get negative thoughts. So I need to figure that out. I wish you luck! I know it's hard to believe in when in the haze of depression, but you are as talented and as strong as you remember you are. You are not a failure for needing a break or needing motivation. Just do what you can, little by little, each day.

SuperRazz
Oct '19

I had a 3 year hiatus because of it :confused:. I stopped because I was too overwhelmed to do anything creative. I focused on recovery until I was able to come back and make comics the way I do now.

Lamina
Oct '19

I make art to keep it at bay. I paint or make comics, among other things. I do a style of comic that allows me to write easily.

Wumbl
Oct '19

Unfortunately due to having bipolar moods I get depressed a few times a year, and when depressed I work really slowly... Taking more breaks and taking extra time to take care of yourself can help. Make sure you're eating and drinking enough and put aside some time to relax. Normally that helps when coping with that low mood. Give yourself some easier art tasks to do, or try warming yourself up by doing something else.

Klaustasya
Oct '19

I have a bipolar disorder too so i understand, though trying to cope with my lows and unstable emotions it's still hard...

Shanny8
Oct '19

Right now having a bit of depression coz I want to do some comic art, but arms are still hurting...

Hodge
Oct '19

Don't even know where I'd be without art and comics given how badly depressed I get. It makes life tolerable and is one of the very few things that motivates me to get up in the morning. Also, I've found the work to be relatively compatible. It's not perfect but its not hopeless.

indagold
Oct '19

I try to steer my mind away from my thoughts and just look at stuff online like videos or other dumb stuff. Catching yourself in a cycle is how it never stops, I usually try to cut that cycle with distractions. Fake it til you make it. My mind tends to forget whatever was causing me stress eventually

Kaylim
Oct '19
CodeMonkeyArts

Wow, that's like how mine is! I am not on any medication, though for a while I did see a psychiatrist for anxiety-related issues. Talking to someone (a stranger) really helped me. I also for a brief period of time had a wonderful support system where I could text the group and one of them would come get me or let me stay over.

Now that I'm all alone again I've tried to internalize that feeling of safety. I try to remember that there are other people, other places, other planets outside the darkness of my own head. It sometimes helps. I've tried to associate that feeling of safety with writing as well. I started my short stories series here on Tapas as a coping mechanism. It's easy to spit out short things when I get low; the longer projects I just leave alone until I feel strong enough to work on them. I guess it's like @Prince_Wumbl suggested; easy tasks keep you creating and provide an outlet, but hopefully won't overburden you.

faisalhussein394
Oct '19

Doing comics is what prevent me from depression and disorder.

In truth reality can suck sometimes and doing art and stories takes me away from it which makes my life more tolerable.

9 months later

closed Jul 31, '20