┊❀ ‧₊˚ research ⚘ amaryllisblight ⸝⸝ ˖⁺ ⊹ ╭⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ☾ ⚘ ☽ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯╮ ⊹ tw ⸝⸝ discussion of mental health issues ☾ ⚘ i. information ⸝⸝ ☽ ⊹ description ⸝⸝ depression is a mental health disorder that causes feelings of sadness or apathy for long periods of time. depression has severe effects how you think and behave, and can lead to a variety of other emotional and physical issues. ⊹ symptoms ⸝⸝ depression results in a wide variety of symptoms, so individuals with the same condition can display vastly different symptoms. amaryllis' symptoms are based on my own, but watered down to be safe for scratch and not extremely triggering. ☾ ⚘ ii. amaryllis ⸝⸝ ☽ ⊹ symptoms ⸝⸝ anxiety, apathy, general discontent, guilt, hopelessness, lose of interest or pleasure in activities, mood swings, general sadness, fatigue, inconsistent appetite, restlessness, agitation, irritability, social isolation ┊❀ effects ⊹ personality ⸝⸝ amaryllis' depression suppresses some of her personality traits, while taking others to the extremes. she's a curious and creative cat by nature, but these traits are often overshadowed by her near-constant lack of energy or interest, even in the activities she enjoys. she is also ambitious, but she is almost always tired and is often hopeless about the future, leading her to seem to be a lazy and directionless cat rather than an ambitious one. her capacity to be analytical is also hindered by the inescapable pessimism caused by her depression, often clouding her judgement and preventing her from analyzing situations objectively. on the other hand, many of her personality traits are actually intensified due to her depression. she's always been on the more withdrawn, introverted side, traits that have now evolved into her tendency to isolate herself. she is also extremely self-deprecating and cynical, constantly thinking the worst of herself and the opinions other cats have of her. the constant self deprecation she puts herself through also causes her to be very anxious all the time, often fidgeting and perspiring due to her agitation. finally, her depression especially worsens her erratic and volatile tendencies. she suffers from near-constant mood swings, quickly going from being happy to spiraling into self deprecating thoughts. overall, amaryllis' personality is overwhelmingly affected by her depression, and it's often hard to tell where her depression ends and her personality begins. at its core, her depression is caused by feeling a deep sense of failure, that she's not good enough and never has been. ⊹ relationships ⸝⸝ depression has a huge affect on amaryllis' relationships with other cats, particularly the self-isolation it results in. she often finds it difficult to form relationships with other people, and when she does, she can become rather clingy and fully dependent on the attention they give her. at the smallest indication that they don't like her as much as she thought, she will immediately isolate herself from them, believing that they viewed her as a burden to interact with. the same situation repeats itself over and over again, multiple times, throughout all the relationships she has with others. ⊹ appearance ⸝⸝ the extensive effects of amaryllis' depression can also be seen in her appearance. due to her lack of energy and self-confidence, she often slouches, putting no effort into her posture. she also doesn't put much effort into making her fur neat, so it is often left unkempt. her inconsistent appetite results in her often not feeling hungry or just forgetting to eat, causing her to not be as strong as the average cat. ☾ ⚘ iii. credits ⸝⸝ ☽ ⊹ sources ⸝⸝ mayo clinic and national institute of mental health ⊹ character ⸝⸝ belongs to me ╰⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ☾ ⚘ ☽ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯╯
