Depression is anger turned inwards

Not being ashamed to talk to someone if a person is feeling low or if they see a sudden change in mood, is very important. Unfortunately, many are afraid to burden family and friends when experiencing intense emotions or see a change in mood.

We all experience times of stress which can affect our mood. However, if we suppress emotions such as sadness and anger (depression is anger turned inwards) this can lead to the person being at risk of spiralling into a depressive state, who may try and regulate themselves through unhealthy means. In addition, further running the risk of withdrawing and even becoming socially isolated. Leading to a vicious cycle which a person can feel they are never able to get out from.

Develop healthy coping strategies

It is important for people who are feeling this way to surround themselves with people who can be supportive, to encourage the person experiencing severe depression which is debilitating to seek professional help from a trained mental health practitioner, where they can support them appropriately develop healthy coping strategies and in aid of emotional regulation and more importantly in exploring what is underpinning the depression.

It’s about achieving balance, and in today’s fast pace world it can be difficult to attain as there is stress in every direction. It is about acknowledging and accepting ones challenges and learning to integrate and overcome these in order to get to a positive and balanced space.

As an art psychotherapist I see first-hand the benefits of exploring difficult thoughts and feelings through art therapy and creative means. Often clients with depression avoid confronting difficult emotions and situations underpinning these intense feelings. Depression is debilitating and extremely draining for the person who is experiencing it.

Overwhelmed with sadness and stress

One client named Sarah, aged 16 (name has been changed to respect confidentiality and consent was given to use artwork) was extremely overwhelmed with sadness and stress. Her parents had recently split up which she was having to learn to accept while also coming to terms with newly relocating (one year), she missed her extended family and friends. Sarah displayed school refusal and was brought to art therapy due to selective mutism as art therapy could work via nonverbal means. Sarah felt powerless and her parents recognized she was withdrawing. She began to process her difficult experiences through her art therapy sessions. Although, difficult she expressed her sadness and anger. Throughout her sessions she developed resiliency learning healthy coping strategies and in regaining her voice, a locus of control, through her artwork.

This artwork Sarah used to communicate her struggles symbolically representing her sadness (left side) and happiness (right side) which she was starting to feel again after working on the inside of the mask, it represented how she felt internally which is what she was also working through in her art therapy sessions.