why is a black dog a symbol of depression?

The metaphor of a black dog is often used to describe depression. The black dog is out of its kennel; the black dog is barking, or growling.

The term was first used by Samuel Johnson, inventor of the English Dictionary, to describe his own experiences with depression. Winston Churchill popularised it centuries later, by referring to his own depression as a black dog that followed him around.

The black dog is not a universal symbol for depression. It’s one of many metaphors used to describe the condition. Others include a dark cloud over your head, a weight on your shoulders, or a deep hole into which you’ve fallen. However you describe it, black dog or not, if you or someone you know is living with depression, it’s important to seek help.

There are resources available to help manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. You can start by talking to your therapist and/or doctor. People can have concerns around the idea of taking medications on a long-term basis, but anti-depressants are not the only treatments advocated by medical professionals to try to send the black dog away. They can work in conjunction with non-pharmaceutical changes made to people’s lives, such as new social and exercise activities. The black dog might be persistent but it can be made quieter and less of an imposition and limiter on your life.

xph therapy offers integrative counselling, which means working with multiple therapy types, including CBT, psychotherapeutic and person-centred to develop a therapeutic pathway just for you, whatever outcome you’re hoping to achieve. Get in touch in a variety of ways. See the contact page for more info.