Art and Depression
Art for freedom
a handshake with your inner darkness
Art for Freedom: A Handshake with Your Inner Darkness
Preamble:
Art is a gift. Depression is not. Depression is an illness—one that can often be treated and managed with the right support. This page is not intended to provide medical advice or comprehensive information on depression. Instead, it offers a collection of artworks and poetic lines that may inspire you to create, survive, and perhaps even find moments of joy—however fleeting they may seem during the grips of depression. If you are struggling with persistent thoughts or feelings that you cannot shake, please seek out support from those who can provide the help you need. Life is a journey, and we are here to support each other along the way.
Art and Depression: A Journey of Expression
This article is a journey—a path through the intersection of art and depression. It’s an exploration that may inspire you to discover your own questions, find your own answers, and forge a powerful connection with yourself and the world around you.
Can Art Break the Darkness?
Art offers a canvas for pain, a space where the chaos within can be externalized. It allows for the release of aggression, often unrecognized, that has turned inward. Through scribbling, smashing, or tearing, art can be a way to confront the deep, dark spaces within, offering a safety net when words fail.
Poetry Excerpt:
“Just words. Just space. Just worthless prayers for hope, prayers for trust, prayers for friends—let them drop deep into the earth, deeper than any ocean.”
Facing the Monsters: A Dialogue with Depression
Depression can feel like walking with grey monsters—silent, ever-present companions that drain joy from the present moment. Yet, there is power in acknowledging their presence, even in sharing a moment with them. Through art, you can engage these inner demons, giving them form and color, and then, with gentle defiance, command them to leave, if only for a while.
Poetry Excerpt:
“Laugh with the grey monsters. Share the moment and walk with them, feed them, talk with them about the unexpected. Be with yourself and be without yourself… Recenter, recover, heal.”
The Weight of Loss and the Search for Meaning
Loss is often at the heart of depression—a loss of self, a loss of loved ones, a loss of purpose. Art becomes a vessel for these feelings, allowing the artist to process and, in some cases, to begin healing. Through the act of creating, the artist can reclaim fragments of a shattered world, piecing together a narrative that acknowledges the pain while also leaving space for growth and renewal.
Poetry Excerpt:
“So many stories covered by cold silence… until I love life as it is, with her, without her, with me, without me, alive from the future to the past into this moment.”
The Struggle and the Process
The creative process is often fraught with struggle. There are days when nothing flows, when the mind is filled with walls, when kindness is lost, and thoughts spiral into darkness. Yet, this process—however painful—can be a source of strength. It takes courage to confront these feelings, to turn aggression outward in the form of art rather than inward.
Poetry Excerpt:
“This process sometimes needs courage, this process sometimes needs power, this process sometimes doesn’t flow… the wrong art of thinking, the bad kind of thoughts, the lost kind of kindness.”
Finding Resilience in the Dark
Depression tells us lies—that we are worthless, that nothing matters, that we cannot go on. Art can be a way to challenge these lies, to externalize them and see them for what they are. It allows for a dialogue with oneself, a means of recentering and recovering, even if only in small, incremental steps.
Poetry Excerpt:
“Exhausted, lost, wracked… loss after longing, fight fight fight… loss loss loss… no nothing, no no.”
Final Thoughts: Art as a Pathway
Art offers a way to engage with the darkness, to give it form, and in doing so, to diminish its power. It is not a cure, but it can be a companion—a way to express what words alone cannot. The journey through depression is unique to each individual, but through art, there is a possibility to find moments of clarity, peace, and perhaps even joy.
If you are struggling, remember that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. There are people and resources available to support you. And if you find solace in art, let it be a tool in your journey—one that helps you navigate the depths and, in time, find your way back to the light.Preamble:
Art is a gift. Depression not. Depression is an illness. And it can be cured in most cases. This is no site with information on depression or how to cure the results and symptoms. It is a loose presentation of artworks and lines of poetry which may inspire you to create, survive or best to enjoy the present moment – which mostly isn’t possible while or because suffering from several forms of depression is having. Please do not hesitate to find support from people who can give a proper support when you have thoughts which you do not know or that you recognize are not leaving you in a state you like to be in. Life is a journey and we can support each other during it.
art and depression
This article is a journey as well – it may inspire you to find your answers, your questions and a powerful relation to yourself and everything you encounter.
Can Art break the dark, or is there a deep dark without art and a safety net?
you may yell and hurt this pain on canvas
you may give up without inspiration and live in this boring beast of greyness.
Aggressions – you may not even be aware of – turning against yourself.
scribbled, smashed, torn out of unknown depths of suffering into brutal empty papers and canvas.
Just words. Just space. Just worthless prayers for hope, prayers for trust, prayers for friends
let them drop deep into the earth. deeper than any ocean.
Lost
some are lost
they tried
and it doesn’t work
no move
no joy
no sleep
no doubt
hard to continue
step by step
in the past nothing worked out
now sometimes grey did it
but it never is now
it mostly is past or futur
rarely now
is that possible?
laugh with the grey monsters
Share the moment and walk with them
walk together
feed them
talk with them about the unexpected
be with yourself and be without yourself
recenter
recover
heal and
hide or show it
at the same time
save yourself
give them colours, love, touch, attention and throw sticks
they have to get them
and leave you for a while
in a secure distance
safe
.
Knowing
knowing that there are days when
nothing will reach you
nothing is there to do
nothing is filled with joy
.
impermanence
&
patience
the remedies may come – before the next life
loss
a good friend told me – you know what depression is?
It is aggression against oneself.
you just forget or could not act out the anger
and it turned against you.
..
this process sometimes needs courage
this process sometimes needs power
this process sometimes doesn’t flow
this process sometimes is the source
the wrong art of thinking
the bad kind of thoughts
the lost kind of kindness
the head full of walls
so many stories
covered by cold silence
it started before my daughter died
but after that
all changed
and slowly
some part of me died
with her
without her
until I love
life as it is
with her
without her
with me
without mi
alive from the future to the past
into this moment
no no
snow show
off phases offline off spirit
hide any emotion
cover it deep
blackness on paper
no no
beneath boredom
this creepy neediness
so much too much
so much missing
need time
need trust
need energy
need to be needed
deeded needed
needle needle
nie nie nie
neverending neediness
nobody needs
dropped deep
did it did it did it
dropped deeper
no do no do no do
lost
long after loss
loss after longing
fight fight fight
loss loss loss
exhausted lost wracked
looser
worth nothing
no nothing
no no
Silk
nothing to hide
no structure
no borders
so
hide it, structure it, border it
beauty
from adoring to ignoring
a dance
but no real chance
too many wrong partners
too many wounds not healed
insecure anger
distance
be closed
far away
inside of her
is a grave
of ripped contacts
and drama memories
they called silk
another name for the truth
too good for this world
or too hurt for the normal
we killed the silence
we killed our love
we did and we couldn’t do better
when do we grow?
where do we come back?
an enemy like this
is a waste of time
meant to forgive
never ever
or and in the end
just now
Without Prayers
with or without
cause and effect
with or without
anger and despair
with or without
sadness and madness
as youth is lost
when monster rises
something hides
and unpleasant feels the tea time of life
with or without
deep loving parts,
with or without
touching the heart
too late to escape
nothing to improve
with or without
meaning
everything changes
it is expected
to do so
and when it changes
you are not sure
to recognize
new
old
returning cycles of suffering
with or without
shouting
I am still there
with or without
Breathing
I am gone
with or without
heartbeat
I stop beating
soften up my
courage to fell
into whatever is
.
.
poetry with prayers
forget
let loose
hold tight
and love
whatever is
or hate
whatever is
you are the difference
when you accept
what is
now
modern partnership
.
fake
fake easy
fake joy
fake life
fake love
fake fuck
fake fake
fake real
real fake
fake off
fake on
.
cause if you fake it here
you can fake it everywhere
“be the answer to your questions.
Be the laughter between your ears”
fake it
cloud prayer
.
cloudy fog
cool grey will touch my dry eyes,
mind, heart
forgotten
fading colour
will get you
sleep
wait
doubt
and fall
stay away
come far
be
all the darkness
here and there
exactly now
less hope
accept the inability to accept
no start
no choice
no time
make a wish
a tiny small wish
whisper it to the grey fish
and do not search for the ears of understanding
don’t wait for the pencil of smile
you forget your pin
to the laughing youth
being without fear and anger
your joy account is lost
be the pin
and pin it
between your lips
for 1 minute
but
do
not
sm i le
please
do
not
sm i le
be
the answer
on unasked questions.
Be
the laughter
between other people’s ears
b.nonhoff, prayer for a depressive cloud which died yesterday
smiling shouldn’t hurt
smiling shouldn’t hurt
may we smile more often
keep our pen in the air
we asked that question
yes the answer
a wonder
sometimes it is yellow
a call for love
now
cry
dance
sleep
everything is change
do not force
do not try
do not do
take the joy
by the holy smile train
b.nonhoff, countless prayers for countless beings
open heart
if
if you are inspired
be it
if you are uninspired
be it
and if not
be that
b.nonhoff, be
sometimes it is
It was never meant to be
hard, fixed, boring, sad
and sometimes it is
NOT
it was ever meant to be
wide, free, easy, joyful
but sometimes it is
JOY
sometimes I remember my inner melody
sometimes I connect to my universe of creativity
sometimes I am in a dark, ugly, goopy mood
and out of there, I get my source
that may is true – but not real
dedicated to inspire
remember
make some steps and breaths
towards ourself
dance
inspire
silence
the need to need
it is silent
it may work
it may give
it may takes
awake awake away
free heart and mind
just as it is
as you are
it is
difference
between all the yous and mess
dance
possi-billing the joy of our lives
letting touch our inner wisdom
sharing the lights
peaceful
life
before death
Kind hug
wise laughter
silent smile
.
.
handshake with your inner darkness
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