Q&A for How to Act Depressed in a Performance

Try to figure out what your character is grappling with. Is it a death? Is it a divorce? Is it finding out about an illness? Everybody's going to have a very different way of understanding how that manifests within their body—so, to know oneself and how you cope individually will help you figure out how the character copes.

Being depressed is hard for people who are normally bright and bubbly. Just pretend that something tragic has happened (like your best friend has died) and act as if it happened in real life.

Say something along the lines of "It's none of your business," "Nothing's wrong," or "Why would YOU care?"

No, you should not. If they will not believe you, then you should try telling other people you trust and or getting help. Just be honest with your parents and tell them you need help. They probably don't want to believe that their baby is hurting, but they do want what's best for you, so just keep asking for help.

You should say sarcastic comments or not even answer at all. Being depressed makes you avoid people and if you were depressed you probably wouldn't even want people near you. You should send angry, sarcastic or melancholy types of texts.

If you laugh to easily, try to avoid direct eye contact. The other person will have a happy or funny look in their eyes if they just told a joke, which could set you off. If you have an odd sense of humor, try warning people in advance, so they're not caught off guard by your inappropriate laughing.

Some people may not notice, as they could be too caught up in their own lives to really think about others. Close friends or people who know you well may notice. Also remember, some people wont approach you about it out of awkwardness or fear.

Be distant and rude to kind people, and accept no favors. Isolate yourself from others, but let them know you are just acting.

There could be legitimate reasons for acting depressed, such as when people want to perform a depressed character in a play or movie, or when someone might want to put on this act in order to avoid connecting with another person when they want some space.

Try caring less about your appearance and the composition of your outfit, such as: baggy t-shirts, old sweatpants, etc. Depression tends to lead people to stop caring about things, including what they look like. It can also lead people to lose energy and motivation; this includes coming up with new outfit ideas.

Having depression myself, I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think this article was made for the purposes you think it was made for. This article was made to teach people how to better play the role of a depressed person in a movie or play. In no way does this article suggest that people should pretend to be depressed in their day to day life to get attention or use it as an excuse to get out of things, so I don't see it as very offensive.

You really shouldn't. It's kind of pathetic. Just be honest and tell the person that he/she hurt your feelings.

Any dark colored clothes can give the impression of being depressed, especially if they're older and more worn.

Try talking to friends, a teacher, your school counselor or your doctor. You really should let your parents know, though.

Smile creepily, or think of a morbid or sad thought to suppress the smile.

You cry when you're sad. You don't cry when you're depressed. That aching and pressure on your chest is painful and familiar. Learn what you can from it, find the good. Wait it out. You don't have to believe it gets better, you just have to wait until it does. Consider talking to a professional.

There's a difference between being depressed and wanting space from your friends. Depression is a serious medical illness and should be treated as such. If your friends draw out such emotions, maybe they aren't the best people to be around. Find others who understand you and love you for who you are. Or simply tell them you want some time for yourself, or that they're upsetting you.

You could watch your favorite YouTuber, your favorite show, or just anything you enjoy doing. If that doesn't work, think about all the people in your life who need you.

Why would you want to act depressed if you aren't? If he dumped you and you aren't depressed, move on! The best revenge is to live well.

Please call a suicide hotline in your area. There are trained professionals who can get you through this.

You should tell her. The only way for her to properly realize it is for you to tell her yourself.

If the uniform offers different color choices, go for the darkest shades available. Use the baggiest coat possible, and wear it whenever possible. Accessorize with dark hair pieces and jewelry if dress code allows. Long sleeves/pants/skirts help, too.

Be gentle. Tell them your idea, and patiently give an explanation. Keep calm no matter how nervous you are. If they have questions answer them, but take it slow. You want them to see that you are trying to make a mature decision, and that you think it's best.

Find a reason to be depressed, and then slowly become more sad each day.

You can still answer the question. If you get in trouble for acting depressed, come clean.

It's bad in the sense that nobody should want to be depressed, so you may want to seek help from someone like a therapist to deal with these feelings. Maybe you're just trying to seek an explanation for feelings that you experience often.

The best way to do this is to get help. Go to a counselor or a therapist or even your parents, but healing is the best way to act like you don't have depression. For some reason, if you are in a specific situation where you can't do that, smile. Go out of your way to get ready and look good (if not for yourself, then for someone else), and try to focus only on positive things.

You are intentionally acting upset to make somebody feel upset, so yes, I this can be considered inappropriate. Instead of trying to make them feel bad by acting upset, just talk to them and tell them that you feel their actions were wrong.

That likely means they are not the one for you, but there is no need to be upset as there are plenty of fish in the sea.

Many people are looking at this for acting. Characters with depression and other mental illnesses are becoming more of a focus in plays, musicals, TV shows and movies. Learning more about depression can help actors portray the character much better.