We all hear about it on TV and most likely we've all been somewhat depressed from time to time. But the bother is, how do you write it?

In words depression can be similar to sadness but you never want to flat out say your character is depressed, that takes away from the writing! So what do you do?

Is their a way to make it work? to push the buttons in a way to show the difference? without, of course, going to far?

Tell us your way! In fact, show us your way if you wish!

Depression can be described as despairing...overwhelming...lost...blank...dark...loathing....hatred.....angry....clouded... :icky:

How bout giving us an example? Either one you've written or one you've read!

I will best describe it on how I feel it..For me when my depression hits I feel like I am being smothered by tons of dark oozing mud where I feel that I am trapped and have no escape. My breath sometimes leaves me feeling like I will drown in this muck. When it hits it is sometimes fast and overwhelming like a bomb, I sit there and see something and the next thing I know I feel diseased of mind and soul because my heart and mind travel to dark places that I would wish on no man or woman.
But that's just me.

-clap clap- good good! well your depressed moments aren't good but your detail about it is.

For me its a bit different. I'll explain just to push the point that it depends on the person/character.

When I am depressed I feel surrounded by light. Its as if i'm always being watched. I feel chained by gold to the walls and beds i am by. I can't move, nor can I see. My eyes are covered in a misted daze. All i know is that i don't like it. I can do nothing about it. Sounds are all high pitched and the sun drips into my window like a sun-lit storm.

You see, I am naturally a gloomy person so when I'm depressed it's a LOT different.

See to some that would be a good thing. That sounds like what depression would be for a vampire.

Hey, i'm not a vampire ><

I just don't like bright colors...or sunlight....or high pitched noises thats all ><

I'm not a big fan of bright lights myself but for me its because I have crappy eyes and my meds make me sensitive to it. High pitch noises give me a headache and piss me off.
Depression can also feel like drowning and that disturbing because its something that you can not always prevent from happening no matter how hard you try.

I'm allergic to sunlight [somewhat] so that's why i don't like that...

I get what you mean. That is a very disturbing idea. After all, it is possible to drown in a cup of watter so its a good thing to fear. But danger lies in everything. Its all around us. When depression starts focusing on danger that is when people form OCDs and phobias.

Depression is much harder to work with than sadness. You have to wonder what made your character depressed and how they act during their depression.

I totally agree with the "drowning depression" concept. It's involuntary and uncontrollable. One of my main characters is actually suffering from depression, but he also has a fear of people leaving him and has rage issues. Usually depression is linked with other things.

As most emotions are, your right. And then you have to think, what if your person is naturally gloomy. would they just get more gloomy or would their depression be simmilar to mine? It all really depends on who your characters are.

Depression can also be described as an overwhelming feeling of being out of control within sadness. In other words, the speaker is sad and has no idea where it is coming from, keep this in mind.