Just in time for the holidays, we present to you our Top Ten Depression Blogs for 2008. What qualifies me to evaluate blogs? As an early adopter I got absorbed in people’s candid stories and shared my own. I watched the medium develop and saw the growth of tech blogs, food blogs, etc. that aren’t diary-like. But depression blogs mostly remain as personal as (for example) 1997’s Protest Against Life. Extreme introspection and rumination are symptoms that lend themselves to blogging and you can see a thread of that depressive style in all these blogs.
One appeal of blogging about a disorder you suffer from is community; friendships and social supports emerge. But although someone’s insights may help you feel less alone, it can also prompt you to feel worse. I am depressed right now (it will pass, I’m in treatment). I’ve been preparing this list for a while but that made it much harder. Ultimately, though, I think sizing up these blogs while depressed is appropriate since that put me in the target readership. Blogs most likely to be triggering if you’re in a fragile state are marked with a *T*.
We had a number of criteria when we compiled this list, but at the top of the list is a blog that is regularly updated and deals with depression. We also looked for quality of writing, insight, apparent honesty, knowledge, advocacy, humor, information-sharing, poignancy, and personality. These blogs have all that and more.
Katherine Stone writes a peer-to-peer blog that covers all aspects of postpartum depression and anxiety, postpartum psychosis, and other mental health concerns connected to childbirth. Newly released research, media coverage of PPD, and her own exploits in advocacy are frequent topics. On our top ten list last year, this year she was also named one of WebMD’s 2008 Health Heroes and a top mental health blog by Blogs.com. She maintains many links to professional resources, blogs and research links, as well as her Surviving and Thriving Moms group.
Depression Marathon is an intimate and detailed portrayal of an eight-year battle against depression. Etta is a devoted runner who also writes about her training for marathons; a good sideline that adds a second quest to her story. It’s an absorbing blog. She’s been writing for nearly a year but just recently revealed the difficulty she’s having with transparency and being anonymous - something every blogger who writes about personal issues has to confront. *T*
17-year-old Mariah documents her ongoing grieving process after the suicide of her best friend two years earlier, plus her own depression, suicidal urges, and self-injury. A quintessential “emo blog” (I mean that in a good way!) unafraid to tackle mental illness and philosophy. She writes quick posts in a variety of styles depending on her mood; it’s very much the blog of a teenager but it’s a sublime one. A candid effort to make some sense of life, death and pain. Read the handy review page to catch up on key events. *T*
Douglas Cootey’s been gaining fame, interviewed by CNN and ADDitude Magazine, who’ve just named him one of the top ADHD bloggers. We’re not surprised: he was an easy choice for our own top ten depression bloggers list last year too. Geared toward cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with the mantra “pills don’t teach skills.” Douglas shares a positive attitude, helpful links, and cheerful humor — but still gets real about his dark inner struggles, too.
A frequently-updated powerhouse of a blog written by the friendly and thoughtful Therese J. Borchard. For those who believe spirituality is important in a holistic mind and body approach to the treatment of depression, it is the ultimate word on the topic. How many Christians promote neuropsychiatry alongside faith while some religious leaders continue to claim that sin and evil spirits cause depression? Therese’s gentle inquiries are revolutionary in a way. She also does occasional vlog posts on YouTube.
John D. explains why he started this project: “I have no cures or therapies to offer. I have only stories, reflections, impressions, records of moments when a bit of life broke through. I invite you to share this space with me, to tell your stories to others who have similar issues to deal with.” The blog design conforms to the awful new trend of undated posts, but you can find the dates in the URLs. I was only recently tipped to check it out, but I’m impressed. He’s a talented writer who can sling a phrase, and every story has a take home message. *T*
It was a must for our list last year and the quality of Andre Jordan’s blog with its quirky, poignant cartoons is as strong as ever. A new book compiling his unique depression-related doodles will be released in January 2009.
La explains in her profile that “I write a lot about depression but I don’t consider this a depression blog: I think of it as a record of the way I live now. And the truth is that the way I live now is a daily struggle. But I struggle on and muddle through.” It’s an eloquent blog with controlled glimpses of her life that are good at showing what it’s like to have depression, even though she is careful not to share too many details or identifying data (which is smart!). Posts may be about cooking, or feature a webcomic she created, or log a fragment of conversation, while others are more intimately emotional. Some posts are password-protected but she will share the password if asked. “I only wanted to write something honest and of myself,” said La, and she has succeeded. Warning: Profanity on one of the homepage entries right now. *T*
There’s a bounciness in her blogging style despite heavy subjects, partly from the use of single sentence paragraphs. Though easily pushed into blog cliché-land, they aren’t heavy-handed here. Avoidance Junkie keeps a poetic rhythm, dancing at a pace that gathers you up with it. It makes topics like anhedonia (loss of ability to take pleasure from things the person once enjoyed), sorrow and regret less sticky. There are others who write in a similar disjointed, slightly muffled style but she does it better than most, and for that reason she’s on the list. *T*
An engaging and likable blog with very detailed accounts of a life marred by depression. Not just her emotional state, but day-to-day events, relationships, poetry, work, and play. She is very into blogging, and it shows: “Blogging has been quite good for my mental health and it’s an activity I need to do no matter what… kinda like flossing.”
Honorable mentions:
Still rocking after a year and a half, his is a unique perspective. After hooking up with a study (not affiliated now) he learned the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) treatment approach to depression. It involves light exposure and sleep hygiene, psychological strategies, social support, Omega-3 fatty acids, and aerobic exercise. It does help him, and he explains how. He also shares savvy mental health links.
A young woman with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in a depressive episode writes about her thoughts and psychiatric crises in an emotionally honest and anguished tone. There is much to be gleaned from her experiences.
“My husband retired in 2005, at which time we needed to cut our expenses and I stopped seeing my psychologist on a regular basis and took up blogging. Blogging is definitely cheaper although it isn’t nearly as effective as seeing a professional on a regular basis,” writes Susan King. In a recent interview (Douglas Cootey of The Splintered Mind is quoted in the same article) she explains that blogging is “very helpful” to her for reasons like identifying emotional triggers. Features short entries that are simple and easy to read.
(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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10 Comments to
“Top Ten Depression Blogs 2008”
I am quite surprised to have made the list.
Thank you.
You definitely belong on the list, you are one of the best. Thank you for writing!
WOW! Thank you so much for the honor! I mean it! I am so incredibly honored! I am just one person trying to shed some light on this debilitating illness. It is humbling to be included in this stellar group of bloggers. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for including me on your list. I’m in shock I don’t really know what to say except thank you so much, you’ve made my day.
This is an awesome top ten list, you should post this to my buddy’s site http://www.toptentopten.com/ and you can link back to your site. They are looking for content and in return provide a user base that can track back to your site. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.
Thank you! Sorry about the swearing!
This seems like a great place to start reading mental health-related blogs.
Thanks for all the time you saved me!
All the best for the new year.
Great list, some very good blogs represented here.
As someone struggling with chronic illness, pain, pain management/medication, family/marriage stresses and those rooted in the aforementioned health struggles…..I certainly have plenty of reasons to be depressed, and at times certainly do feel that way. But I also have many reasons to be happy, and if I can resolve some of the more fundamental questions looming before me I think that regardless of the state of my health that I can look forward to a better state of mind — which in turn has a lot to do with my coping skills in regards to those physical challenges.
Hopefully, in this new year, and with the help of my friends in the general-interest web community The Black Hole that I’ve been developing since founding it in 2003 (other projects with Xerces go back to the mid 90’s and I’ve been publishing/developing major online communities since the beginning of the Internet, before there even was a Web!)….you can find us at the link above, or find me on all sorts of social networks & messengers like AIM, YIM, Google Talk/Jabber and so forth. My username on most is “dalaixerces,” other contact information is usually available if you’re interested.
I hope that, as I think most “bloggers” and others who express their most personal feelings, their deepest struggles and doubts, fears and hopes via this ever-evolving digital medium that seems pressed frantically toward pure telepathy….I think that most of us feel the same as I do, in hoping that our efforts and expressions in whatever form are able to encourage others to in turn express themselves as well.
That’s part of why I usually encourage people to come to TBH, a forum, rather than other less free-form sites that we operate; they can always visit those later if they decide they like the work that Xerces does, but in a community environment without limits on subject or content (within reason, and fair-warning labeling rules) I find that people have a chance to express things that they might not otherwise.
In any case, great work here and keep up the great work — on both ends of the patient-caregiver spectrum; sometimes we are, after all, a little bit of both!
What complete and utter shock I’m in! I visited Storied Mind’s blog this evening and read his post about being in the top 10 and I was dumbfounded!
Thank you so very much for this great honor! I have no idea how you found my blog but thank you so very much. You definitely made my entire week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is a thing called “age cheating” in this world. And there is a thing called learned helplessness.
And there is a thing called social politics that attempt to make people that haven’t gained a true sense of social independence through the years, knowing how to pull away from parents (and wanting to) feel more and more useless and more and more helpless.
You have to read between the lines of what these entertainers tell you. Oprah Winfrey recently said “50 is the new 30″. Today’s 37 is like yesterday’s 21.
37 is your legal age meaning that in a legal paperwork situation you have no choice but to accept it, but in a social sense, you can be young at any age if you can change your perspectives on life.
The trouble with the post WW2 world especially in free societies, is children (for well over 30 years) being brought into the world believing in the idea of the free ride and too much dependency on a parent or caretaker and not enough dependency on understanding their rights and developing some greater social responsibilities.
They lie to kids especially in these early years when small children often cling to their caretakers and are terrified of teenagers, college students and post college students, and many believe that it would be light years into the future if at all before they reach and pass that age.
And with all of the gaudy products businesses sell to parents to give to their dependent children to show that they unconditionally love them, gives them false ideas that this is the world they are always going to face. The school system forces kids through for marks and when they get out and life is once again more abandoned and serene, obsessional thinking of the world of yesterday (the good and bad) and fearful thinking of the present pulling deeper into the world of the future causes many former helpless dependent children (who never even mastered adolescence) to develop into a state of depression, social withdrawal, more co-dependency and co-morbid psychological conditions. Pulling through fear socal anxiety and depression with a true sense of of a basic world of accomplishing and doing.
Feeling comfortable doing this independently and with others for long hard days for a sense of personal worth and growth can be very difficult. Society in general does not want children (and even teenagers) to believe they are goiung to have to grow up, and that as they get older younger generations will follow them into the future.
For retail sales (big buisness) and recreation programs (small business) administrators attempt to capitalize on internal family bonds in the first eight years of life, and the fears associated with slowly breaking these bonds in constructive productive ways for their own profits. In life you only get older and older and older and you have to accept this truth in order to survive, and truly understand that you developed from a totally helpless dependent individual into a productive member of society. The first thoughts that hit many people’s minds especially small children are learned helplessness and allowing these weak dreadful submissive emotions to get the better of them when their caretakers are not in their present environment.
If constructive, productive emotional and physical levels of functioning can not intinctively overtake these emotionally weak feelings of abandonment and stress, a fight or flight syndrome appears threatening your physical health ultimately causing you to socially withdraw from the here and now and take the easy way out.
My opinion is that hospitals at birth are most responsible for developing a plan for parents within the scope of the family genes for their newborn children, since they hold over 100 years of birth certificates of living individuals.
The hospitals are most responsible for investing their money on interrelational workshops for young families in similar situations, to help parents understand that babies and small children have to face reality every day and eventually grow up and take some personal responsibility for their actions.
There is always going to be a next day, deeper into the future. Families get older. Familes perceive the world differently, and there is always going to be all sorts of people you have to deal with. Hospitals are most responsible for coaching children and young people into this understanding, since they hold the birth certificates of them and their parents and their grandparents. Personal responsibility is important, preventative medicine is important, social engineering for profit is not.
Posted by Jay
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 19 Dec 2008
