The double-bind of gloom

The author Margaret Atwood called it "the Sluggish Wave," it was Winston Churchill’s "Black Dog," and some have referred to it as a wet rubber blanket. In my new children's book, I called it The Beast of Gloom. 

​What would you call it?

The Beast of Gloom Is a tricky fella! Unlike other challenges to your mental health, the Beast of Gloom (the name I chose for depression in my new children's book) is particularly tricky. When it takes hold, it can leave you in a double bind:
· You over-estimate the severity or negativity of situations in your life; and
· You under-estimate your own ability to handle those situations.

To help kids who might be struggling with this, I like to help them draw or write out their account of what is troubling them. Often when we look at it on paper, and do this together, we can help them see that it is much smaller than we feared, or easier to resolve.

You can also help them to make lists, or draw pictures of, all their strengths and resources, so they feel better equipped to handle the situation. "Strengths and resources" can include you, as their source of support, their friends, their ability to make people smile, or even their favorite who they can cuddle when they need to.

The Beast of Gloom can be daunting but, with the right strategies, it doesn't have to overwhelm you or your children.
 
Chris Warren-Dickins
Therapist in Ridgewood, New Jersey

#MentalHealth #depression #thebeastofgloom