forum Writing a character with depression

Started February 21, 2018 by Deleted user

tune

How should I write a character with depression? I don't want to make them too cookie cutter or cliche, so I was wondering if anybody had any tips.
heres the link to the character: Haiden Elliott

Well some people that have depression don't have it constantly. Like one moment you're partying with your friends having the time of your life and then the next moment your sitting on the couch laying there not wanting to move for the rest of your life lol.

They would probably stay alone a lot, but that depends. The dark. Watching youtube alone a lot. Just kinda being in a what I would call a gray area. Not happy, but not suicidal, just emotionless.

Have him latch onto things. I don't mean in the physical sense, though. You say he likes "emo bands." That's good. Have those bands mean a lot to him. Depressed people tend to latch onto anything to keep them alive- writing, drawing, music, watching videos, etc. Have him care a lot more about the things he does care about. Haiden does seem a bit cookie-cutter, though. People with depression are varied. Sometimes they apologize a lot for something that's not their fault and insist it's not their fault. Sometimes they make self-hating jokes that they really, truly, mean. Most of all, depressed people are really, REALLY insecure.

*I mean, insist it's their fault even when it's clearly not.

I looked over your character and it does seem a little stereotypical. Like @Shadow of the Elements said, people with depression are insecure, the make self-hating jokes that they truly mean, they insist that things are their fault, and everything that they're saying is true. The hole emo hot topic entitled thing is probably the part that bothers me. I have been suffering from depression myself, so I'm probably a good person to hear this from. People with depression aren't necessarily cold and emotionless all the time or emo and non-caring. Portraying someone with depression as rude or uncaring isn't very realistic. Most people with depression do care for a lot of things, just not themselves. I do like bands like Twenty One Pilots, My Chemical Romance, Fallout Boy, Panic! At the Disco, etc.; but it as nothing to do with my depression. You should try make him his own personality (not just him not caring or having a negative outlook on life). I still love to joke around with my friends, have fun, and other things like that. Obviously a lot of the time my depression gets in the way of that, but it doesn't wash away my personality and turn me into a hateful person. I hoped this helped.

@Stevie @"Shadow of the Elements"
thank you! I am rewriting this character, and I didn't want him to come off as cliche this second time around. I'm working on fixing him right now. your critique means a lot, and I'll definitely make are he's not as cliche.

@CorbinB3 I'm glad I helped!

@Stevie@"Shadow of the Elements"

do you think this is better or do you have any other critique? I don't know if he seems any better.

He seems better! Good job!

Yeah his character is much better than it was before. I hope your story turns out great! :)