Jk Rowling Major Depressive Disorder Essay

Joanne Rowling, better known by her pen name J.K. Rowling, is regarded as one of the most successful and influential authors to come out of the United Kingdom. Best known for authoring the Harry Potter book series, she has changed the lives of millions around the world and inspired both children and adults alike. However, Rowling’s life is far more troubled than one would expect of the creator of a vibrant and hopeful fantasy world. A sufferer of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Rowling used her traumatic and distressing past as inspiration for some of the darkest aspects of the Harry Potter series, creating happiness from sorrow. Major Depressive Disorder, otherwise known as clinical depression, is one of the most common mood disorders. The
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-V, describes the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder and its episodes. According to the DSM-V, an individual needs five or more symptoms to be present within a two-week period, with depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure being the two required symptoms. The symptoms must cause significant distress or impairment in areas of functioning, and are not due to a substance or other medical condition. Along with depressed mood and loss in pleasure, and individual with MDD may have significant weight loss or decrease in appetite, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, diminished ability to concentrate, and recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal tendencies (Criteria for Major Depressive Episode: DSM 5). J.K. Rowling exhibited the two required symptoms, as she was depressed or irritable most of the day and had a diminished interest in activities, including writing or spending time with her daughter. Rowling also struggled with fatigue and loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, but the most troubling symptom for her was suicidal thoughts (Fox News Network). She has spoken out on various occasions regarding her preoccupation with death and the severity of her suicidal tendencies, stating, “[w]e’re talking suicidal thoughts here, we’re not talking ‘I’m a little bit miserable’” (Fox News Network). It was the fixation around death and suicide that eventually allowed Rowling to see how serious MDD can be, and drove her to seek out help. J.K. Rowling’s mid-twenties were a time of despair and heartbreak, with the events that transpired leading to her development of Major Depressive Disorder. Depression can be caused by a variety of factors, but Rowling’s was primarily caused by multiple social stressors acting within a short time span. In 1992, Rowling began a yearlong marriage to Jorge Arantes, which she describes as being short and catastrophic (Bennett). The marriage left her with a daughter, whom she was left to care for after leaving her husband and moving back to Scotland. During this time, she was unemployed and living off welfare benefits while trying to provide for a young child. While struggling to support a family, her estranged husband returned to Scotland searching for her and her daughter, causing her to go to court and file a restraining order against him. On top of the destructive marriage and unemployment, Rowling went through years of failure trying to publish Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first novel in the series. When she took the finished manuscript to publishing houses, she was told repeatedly that the story was doomed to fail. Twelve publishers rejected her before she found success with Bloomsbury, a London based company (Wikipedia). The constant rejection created feelings of self-doubt and worthlessness, contributing to Rowling’s development of Major Depressive Disorder. The most climactic event she experienced during this time was the death of her mother, who passed away from multiple sclerosis. Rowling had never shared her idea for Harry Potter with her mother, and felt immense guilt for this after she died (Oprah Interviews J.K. Rowling). Rowling believed that she had depressive tendencies from a young age, and the combination of these social stressors drove her to develop Major Depressive Disorder. Due to the stigma that surrounds mental illness, it is often difficult for those suffering to feel comfortable seeking out help and treatments.
The same was true for J.K. Rowling, until her love for her daughter persuaded her to keep living and find professional help. She stated, “[s]he was something that earthed me, grounded me, and I thought, this isn’t right, this can’t be right, she cannot grow up with me in this state” (Fox News). Rowling’s general practitioner was out of town, and the replacement doctor dismissed her concerns, not realizing the severity of Major Depressive Disorder. Once her doctor returned, she contacted Rowling and immediately had her begin cognitive-behavioral therapy. During this time, she had regular sessions designed to help control her negative thoughts and help alleviate the symptoms of MDD. Rowling also found ways outside of therapy to express her negative cognitions, and used her writing to portray her thoughts and feelings. It was her struggle with depression that inspired her to create the Dementors in the Harry Potter series. The Dementors are dark creatures that feed off human happiness and have the power to consume one’s soul, leaving them with feelings of despair and depression. Rowling
said: “Clinical depression is a terrible place to be.
It’s that absence of feeling, and it’s even the absence of hope that you can feel better. It's so difficult to describe to someone who's never been there, because it's not sadness. I know sadness. Sadness is not a bad thing, to cry and to feel. But it's that cold absence of feeling, that really hollowed-out feeling. That’s what Dementors are” (Oprah Interviews J.K. Rowling).
By writing about her sadness and sorrows through the eyes of a fictional character, it allowed for her to alleviate some of the pain. The cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with her writing helped Rowling come to terms with her depression and attempt to lead a normalized life for both herself as well as her
family. The treatments that Rowling sought out as well as conveying her sadness in the Harry Potter books allowed her to overcome her Major Depressive Disorder. She has repressed her suicidal tendencies, and found extreme success and happiness both in her personal as well as professional life. The Harry Potter books became one of the highest grossing film series of all time, and she re-married in 2001 (Wikipedia). She has stated in multiple interviews that without the death of her mother and her experience with depression, the Harry Potter books would not have been as successful and meaningful. Throughout the books, Harry is faced with death and sorrow and must learn to overcome it. Rowling, in her own personal life, faced many obstacles similar to the characters and was able to create a magical world that taught people of all ages how to cope with despair. She has spoken out on multiple occasions about her depression, and uses her experience and status to fight the stigma associated with mental illness. In an interview in the London Sunday Times, she stated, “What’s to be ashamed of? I went through a really rough time, and I am quite proud that I got out of that” (Potash). Shame is one of the most common emotions associated with depression, and by speaking out about her struggles Rowling inspires those dealing with mental illness and makes them feel less alienated. J.K. Rowling has become a household name since the publication of the first Harry Potter novel in 1997. Throughout her lifetime, she has become a billionaire author, movie producer, advocate, and sufferer of Major Depressive Disorder. Her bought with depression inspired some of the most memorable works and characters, and brought happiness and relief to not only herself but to millions around the globe. Rowling’s journey has shown that, in the words of her character Albus Dumbledore, “happiness can be found even in the darkest times if one only remembers to turn on the light” (Rowling).