Depression in The Adventures of Winnie The Pooh

When I was a child, I loved to watch The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, it was my favorite show. However, because I was a young child, I never understood why Eeyore was always upset. Eeyore wasn’t diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, but you can easily see that he is depressed. In the lecture on Major Depressive Disorder we discussed that when a person has depression and struggles with it, they are more likely to be less active, have a feeling of no self-worth, struggle with self-esteem issues, and hardly have any interest in doing activities or being around people. Because Eeyore struggles with his self-esteem and worthiness he always feels that he is a hassle to all of his friends, although he is most definitely not.

Eeyore’s representation of depression throughout the Winnie the Pooh series is very similar and realistic to how people that genuinely have depression act and feel. I know from firsthand experiences from having family members that suffer with depression, that it makes you feel unworthy, self-conscious, and physically and emotionally drained of energy. Eeyore well represents all of these characteristics and traits of people that have depression because he just wants to be alone and never feels up to doing any activities that may cause him to have any form of happiness.

Furthermore, Eeyore makes self-deprecating jokes about himself to help cope with his negative self-image. People with depression sometimes feel the need to make fun of themselves and joke about themselves so others don’t have the opportunity to do so. In the series Eeyore is usually always sad and always says that he is going to ruin everyone's time and that he is not as popular as all his friends. He does not necessarily find a certain method of coping, but with the help of his friends he finds little joys in life every so often. People that struggle with depression, usually must find a simple thing or activity that they find joyful to make them feel as if life is truly meaningful.

Sometimes it is the little things in life, that make the most impact on people that have depression. For Eeyore, it is his friends, and the comfort of his home. Depression is a serious issue and having a character that represents its form is important because sometimes Hollywood and the Media portray issues in a joking manner, but in the case of Eeyore, it is certainly portrayed properly and in good taste.