Creating In the Face of Depression

Mental health has been in the spotlight for some time now, which is great but how do we cope with it as creators when it gets in the way?

Recognize your depression cycle and assess what is the root.

• We’ve all heard that comparison is the thief of joy, but it can be hard for us to recognize when we are comparing ourselves to others. Just this weekend I was trying to take some pictures to update my instagram and not liking how any of them were turning out. I ended up spending my Saturday night feeling more down than usual. This feeling of inadequacy didn’t just stop when I woke up the next day because I spent the majority of Sunday feeling out of it as well.

• If you know that you regularly have several days out of the week that you find yourself most depressed, schedule your creation days around those days. When you still plan on creating during those days, you’ll get more upset with yourself when you find you aren’t motivated to do anything.

Determine if you can remove that cause from your life or replace it with something else.

I’ve recognized this comparison trend in my life before when I wanted to start my blog. Prior to starting, I kept looking at other fashion blogs and simultaneously being inspired and discouraged. I knew where I wanted to go, but stopped because I told myself I didn’t have what it took to get there. Now after finally starting and being consistent, I need to take better care and avoid these pitfalls that I often find myself in. It’s important to research and study your market, but when you know you’re in an impressionable mental state, avoid those research days.

Give yourself a break and recognize that it’s okay to try again the next day.

I had a schedule of items to complete over the weekend, but I got delayed and started feeling worse once I saw how delayed I was. I recognized that mental state I was in wasn’t good for creating content and that it would be better if I waited to when I was feeling better. It is hard not to dwell on those feelings, but after years of this repetitive worsening cycle it has been so refreshing to take it easy on myself!

Create a support group within your friends of creators.

A couple of friends and I started a group together earlier this year to help encourage each other in our creative efforts. It started out as a way to motivate and hold each other accountable to the ideas we wanted to start, and it has been the biggest lifesaver for me to finally create. We try to meet or talk weekly to give each other advice, input, and encouragement. If you don’t have a group of creatives that you can connect with, talk it out with your friends or family instead.

If you’re just starting out, remind yourself that you are doing this for you.

If you are just starting out and get caught up on wanting things to be perfect before you start, I encourage you to sit back and remind yourself who you are doing this for. There are so many times that I get caught up thinking that I need to be doing or should have already done X, Y, and Z. My mind gets cluttered and starts on a self-deprecating cycle that ultimately leads to me being depressed. After years of doubting myself, I finally took the plunge to start and not worry about what it looked like in the beginning. Those years of research were fine for a little foundation, but good foundations aren’t built on thought they’re built on action. Most recently, reminding myself that I am doing this for me has helped significantly. I have kept a journal and notebook of ideas and thoughts related to this passion of mine and it has been so great to look at things from 3 - 5 years ago and recognize that I am finally achieving it.

Get angry at the injustice, but don’t stop there.

If you are in a group that experiences slower or lesser rates of success, it can be incredibly hard to stay motivated. Starting something and knowing that you are less likely to be as successful as your counterparts is discouraging. I remember reading a post from Humans of New York instagram where this man described the decision of raising their son in Ghana and the last line that he had resonated extremely well.

He explained “It’s exhausting to be conscious of your skin all the time. You either become militant or you become defeated. And I understand why it happens, but extremes of anything aren’t good”

I would like to be one of those women that gets more motivated by injustice, but I briefly get angry and stay defeated. I wonder to myself “is it even worth it”? Once again, I have to remind myself that I am doing this for me and it helps me out of this defeated mentality. I’m always conscious of injustice, but if I’m being honest, I find it best to not think about if I want to stay motivated.

Find a healthy coping mechanism.

In those moments when you are at a very low point, try and find something that will shift your focus from dwelling on your thoughts. I spend copious amounts of time consuming tv to get me through those moments, and though some may not consider that a healthy option it is for me. When I’m able, I do other things as well, like run, yoga, paint, or read, but I’m often unable to do those when I’m at my lowest points. If you’re able to seek council, do so.

Finally, create.

Creating will give you encouragement to keep pushing. You get to be proud of the work that you’re doing and how far you’ve come. When you realize that, you can get better at motivating yourself to keep creating.