"I took steps forward. It was easy Below me there were three lanes of traffic; I cleared the first, [and] got halfway over the second I moved past the second lane and kept my eyes on the horizon. I didn't move my eyes from it for the last lane, shifting my hands in front of one another in a tight rhythm. I came to the edge of the bridge and was sort of surprised how there wasn't any fence. There wasn't anything to keep you from falling off, just your hands and your will. I gripped the bars at either side and then sprung my hands open and spread my arms wide and felt the wind whip and tug at me as I leaned myself over the water" (Vizzini 88-9). Exhilaration consumes the audience as the life of Craig Gilner comes crashing down. This teenage character of It's Kind of a Funny Story shapes the blatant reality that depression suppresses rationality and happiness. Although he isolates himself in the feeling of loneliness, Craig is only one of the thirty-two million others in the United States ("Understanding Depression") plagued with depression. Ned Vizzini, the author of It's Kind of a Funny Story, accurately portrays the emotional turmoil and details of clinical depression through the eyes of Craig Gilner.
Clinical depression "refers both to a serious mental disorder and to a normal mood involving sadness that all people occasionally experience. The duration and grouping of symptoms distinguishes depression as a mental disorder from occasional feelings of sadness" (Bruce). As the story begins, Craig considers his feelings of sadness to simply be "just part of growing up" (Vizzini 102). But, as the story unravels, he slowly recognizes that his actions and feelings are not the same as those of his friends. His daily life experiences generate feelings of sadness and uselessness rather than satisfaction. Like Craig, many other people are influenced by depression. It is one of the main leading sources of disability in the United States ("Additional Statistics and Information"), affecting at least sixteen percent of all Americans in their lifetime ("Who Gets Depression?"), which is approximately nineteen million people. Since it affects so many lives, it is often referred to as the "common cold" of all mental illnesses.
Widespread depression can be attributed to its variety of forms. Clinical psychologists have determined there are varying differences in each case of depression; the difference can be as simple as having a couple symptoms to an intense and long period of depression (Lurie 10). Although some types of depression are milder than others, all cases are prevalent and should be taken seriously. While Craig is in the adult psychiatric ward of the local hospital, he views many individuals suffering from the varying degrees and forms of depression. Several types he observes are bipolar disorder, adjustment disorder, major depression, substance-induced mood disorder, and dysthymic disorder. After talking with his therapist, Craig determines that he has dysthymic disorder, which is a "milder and more enduring type of major depression" ("Types of Depression"). This type of depression disguised itself in his personality ("Types of Depression"), which explains why he was unable to realize or understand that he has symptoms of depression. Craig explains, "Sometimes I just think depression's one way of coping with the world. Like, some people get drunk, some people do drugs, some people get depressed. Because there's so much stuff out there that you have to do something to deal with it" (Vizzini 240). Craig's view that depression is just a way of life causes him to do drugs with his friends in order to help him cope and deal with his life. The drugs mask his despair and make his symptoms of clinical depression almost unrecognizable. Though Craig's mild form of depression leads him to fool himself about the severity of his disorder, readers can clearly see the anxiety in and weight of his actions.
"Depression has no single cause; often, it results from a combination of things. You may have no idea why depression has struck you" ("Causes of Depression"). Generally, depression is due to family genetics, but can also be caused by trauma or stress, physical conditions, other disorders, or substance abuse ("Causes of Depression"). While in the hospital, Craig meets Noelle, a young women who cuts her face. When Craig and Noelle talk about why she decided to "change" her looks and why she became depressed, Noelle states, "I cut my face because too many - too many people wanted something from me There was so much pressure, it was - [something to live up to] And I didn't want to be part of it I didn't want to be part of that world' (Vizzini 364-5). She became depressed when she was supposed to live up to everyone's needs and expectations. People she had once loved in her past used her emotionally and physically, and she did not want this to happen again. Moreover, depression can be the result of abuse, deprivation, loss of a loved one, or loss of a job (Bruce). Depression can also be triggered by relationship problems or financial problems ("Understanding Depression"). Craig found his distress while comparing himself to his best friend, Aaron. He felt that he was screwing up his own life while Aaron had everything, as well as being extremely smart. He laments, "I'm smart but not enough- just smart enough to have problems. Not smart enough to get good grades. Not smart enough to have a girlfriend" (Vizzini 135). His pessimistic personality leads him to have a very negative self-image. Later, this becomes a reality and causes him to become even more depressed.
One way Craig is affected by his depression is through insomnia. Whenever Craig is unable to sleep, he debates with himself whether or not suicide is the answer. "Badoom. Badoom. BadoomMy heart is ramming now. It's beating everywhere. It hits all the spots in my body, and I feel the blood pressuring through me, my wrists, my fingers, my neck. It wants to do this, to badoom away all the time. It's such a silly little thing, the heart BadoombadoomI want my heart, but my brain is acting up I want to live but I want to die. What do I do?" (Vizzini 140). His constant feeling of being unaware drives him to feeling insecure and insignificant. For example, Craig always feels that he "[has not] done enough with [his] life" (Vizzini 136). By thinking he is wasting space in the world and is not doing anything to help, Craig is lowering his self-esteem. "There's so much more for me to be doing. I should be a success and I'm not I'm still a nobody" (Vizzini 136). However, he is not the only person who feels sadness or guilt without reason: many encounter the experience very frequently (Lurie 17). While depression does not always include symptoms, the most frequent ones are a reduction in energy levels, impairment in concentration, anorexia, and insomnia (Winokur 6). Symptoms of depression also include changes and distortions of emotions. Such examples include a loss of interest, difficulty with decision-making, and/or the feeling of never being able to get well, as well as feeling aggressiveness, impulsivity, and violence (Lurie 103). One study showed that 63% of all patients have a suicide ideation or plan (Winokur 6). For instance, in It's Kind Of A Funny Story, Craig periodically presents the idea of suicide as the answer to his problems. It is his escape from having to be one of the best. "I look at myself in the bathroom light. Yes, I'm okay. I'm okay because I have a plan and a solution: I'm going to kill myself I'll do it tonight. Late tonight. In the morning, specifically. I'll get up and bike to the Brooklyn Bridge and throw myself off it" (Vizzini 126-27).
As these feelings of despair continue to build, Craig becomes aware of his yearning to end his suffering. Treatment for depression consists of an individual and distinctive analysis for each patient. "Many people do not seek treatment for depression for a variety of reasons. Some believe that depression is the result of a personal weakness or character flaw ("What is Depression?"). "Depression typically cannot be shaken or willed away" ("Depression Psychology"). For those who desire to seek treatment, two forms are available, antidepressants and psychotherapy. Patients can choose to employ only one form of treatment, but often they choose a combination of both antidepressants and psychotherapy. An antidepressant is a drug that helps to improve one's overall mood, appetite, sleep, and concentration. Psychotherapy helps a person recognize and become aware of his or her problems and feelings. In It's Kind Of A Funny Story, Craig takes antidepressants until he thinks he is "all better." By stopping his medication, Craig once again falls into a depressed state. But, with the help of his therapist, Craig explores his thoughts and feelings in order to discover the cause of his depression. By working with a therapist and taking antidepressants, Craig slowly begins his road to recovery. In less severe forms of depression, treatment can be as simple as doing aerobic exercise ("Depression Psychology"). Exercising helps to relieve the every day stresses that can lead to clinical depression. Luckily, there are many routes to escaping the grasp of depression.
Ned Vizzini convincingly portrays the subject of clinical depression in his novel, It's Kind of a Funny Story, through the eyes of Craig Gilner. Vizzini describes numerous individuals that characterize the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of depression. Although there are many forms of depression, they all require an individualized psychoanalysis before treatment can begin. Depression is a serious problem that needs to be recognized and treated as soon as possible. In It's Kind of a Funny Story, Craig pushed himself to be "normal" like other people until one day he almost commits suicide. After admitting himself into the nearest hospital, Craig finds he is not alone and creates the willpower to recover. His mother rejoices, "What's a triumph is that you woke up this morning and decided to live. That's a triumph. That's what you did today.'" (Vizzini 226).
Works Cited-
"Additional Statistics and Information About Depression." All About Depression. 9 Sept 2004. 16 Feb 2008 .
Bruce, Timothy J. "Depression." World Book Online Reference Center. 2008. Corona del Sol High School Lib., Tempe, AZ. 19 Feb 2008 .
"Causes of Depression." 1997-2008. 16 Feb 2008 .
"Depression Psychology." Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 1997-2007. 21 Feb 2008 .
Lurie, Melvyn. Depression: Your Questions Answered. New York: DK Publishing, 2007.
"Types of Depression." All About Depression. 9 Sept 2008. 16 Feb 2008 .
"Understanding Depression." Cymbalta duloxetine HCI. 2008. 16 Feb 2008 .
Vizzini, Ned. It's Kind of a Funny Story. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks, 2006.
"What is Depression?" All About Depression. 9 Sept 2004. 16 Feb 2008 .
"Who Gets Depression?" 1997-2008. 16 Feb 2008 .
Winokur, George. Depression: The Facts. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.