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
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
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