The High-Functioning Depressive: How Batman Copes With His Mental Health

Tragedy is a common theme in the life of a superhero. A traumatic event provided the motivation to become a crimefighter and Batman is the ideal character for representing the struggle. Everyone knows the story of Bruce Wayne and the promise of a lonely boy who lost his parents in Crime Alley. Bruce turned his grief into a reason to fight. It gave him a singular goal: to wipe out crime in Gotham City.

Batman’s bravery and intelligence makes him one of the most capable superheroes in the world. For all his talents, Bruce is a man who suffers with depression. He’s displayed all the signs of a high-functioning depressive, someone who can live a fulfilling life, but still be trapped in a cycle of despair. Batman provides an interesting take on the nature of depression, so I’m looking into how the Dark Knight copes with his mental health.Powered by tragedy

Everyone has their own way of dealing with depression. In Batman’s case, he chose to convert his negative thoughts into a physical response. He trained himself to be a phenomenal fighter so he could retaliate against the kind of people who murdered his parents. Dressing up like a bat and beating up criminals at night isn’t what you’d call legal. But it could be considered an understandable response for someone who has dealt with raw, emotional upheaval.

Batman’s coping strategy is based on sublimation. It involves taking unwanted impulses and turning them into something good. By fighting criminals, Bruce has dedicated himself to making Gotham a safer place. Batman has found a way to channel his depression in a constructive way. When suffering with depression, some people find it hard to get out of bed. Batman is the opposite. He uses it as fuel to keep moving forward. It gives him a purpose, to the point that he’s been known to cut everything else out of his life.

It’s why I think Batman can be considered a high-functioning depressive. Called persistent depressive disorder (PPD), sufferers are able to live a mostly normal life. During the day, Bruce runs a successful business empire and masquerades as a playboy. At night, he strategises and defeats psychopaths like The Joker. At all times, Batman is performing on a high level. He’s accomplished feats that some of us can only dream of. Yet, he’s prone to the same feelings of hopelessness that every depressive goes through.

Therapy from loved ones

Batman’s depression has caused him to push away the people who mean the most to him. But they are the reason why he’s come back from the edge. From a young age, Bruce had Alfred Pennyworth to look after him. Alfred made sure Bruce grew up with the right values and never stopped believing in him. A father figure and friend, Alfred has acted as Batman’s confidante and therapist.

The family Bruce created is important as well. Dick, Jason, Tim, Barbara, Stephanie, Cassandra and Damian remind him that he can’t do everything alone. The Batman family have helped Bruce keep his darker impulses in check. They’ve kept him human, which is why Bruce continues to fight for a better Gotham.

Depression is a terrible disorder, but characters like Batman remind us that we can hope for a brighter future. Some of the smartest people in history have suffered with depression and they’ve gone on to accomplish amazing things. Batman’s support network has helped him weather the worst situations. Talking with people you trust is a type of therapy, so never hesitate to get things off your chest.

(This sponsored post was written for betterhelp.com)