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I had a black dog: His name was depression
I’m sitting here at Starbucks, sipping my coffee and thinking about what I want to write today. The weather outside is cold for Houston, but it’s a perfect day to be warm and cozy inside with a warm drink. I was about to write my usual Friday Link Love post, but I decided to take a break from my normal routine and share a short video that I absolutely love with you guys. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
This is a video about what it’s like to experience depression. This was created by Matthew Johnstone. The illustrations and story are originally from a book he wrote called Living With a Black Dog: His Name is Depression. In 2012, he collaborated with the World Health Organization to produce this video to mark World Mental Health Day.
I often share this with my teenage and adult clients who have depression. (Even though it’s a cartoon, it’s really not appropriate for younger kids.) I’ve found that teenagers especially seem to love watching this and really can relate to it. I sometimes use it as a conversation starter and ask my client what parts of this they relate to. I also use it to share hope and a message that things will get better. Teens often ask if we can show it to their parents. From these experiences, this has been a great conversation starter between teens and their parents as well. I encourage you to share it with your teen and see what they think about it.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCrniLQGYc]
The book is exactly the same except, well, it’s a book and not a video. If you prefer reading over watching, here’s a link to it on Amazon (heads up, affiliate link):
WOW. That video just gave me the chills. I am a person with depression, and I write a bit about it back at my blog. #SITSBlogging
It gives me chills too! I’m heading over to check out blog right now – thanks so much for sharing.